WORKS to double pupil capacity at a primary school have gone full steam ahead since beginning in January.
Construction work extending Lawford Primary School has been continuing at speed since its initiation.
Barnes Construction began the work at the turn of the year with plans to build a new two-storey classroom block which will enable pupil capacity to double its current number.
The school hosts 210 pupils but will increase by 50 per cent to 420 following completion of the works this summer.
Once finished, there will be an additional eight classrooms and a library, as well as several offices and specialist practical areas.
The school will also benefit from a new outdoors multi-use games area and a reconfigured entrance to provide additional teaching space.
Mark Bailey, director for Barnes Construction, said: “We are delighted to be playing a part in providing much needed extra school places for the young people in Lawford.”
The work was commissioned by Essex County Council who have pledged to provide contracts for construction firms in the area.
A spokesman for the council said: “Essex Council is committed to delivering a capital works construction investment programme of £270m over the next year and this project is part of that programme.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy of Essex has been impacted. We agreed the capital works construction investment programme before the Covid-19 restrictions began.
“Yet, despite spending £74.5million to support the community during the restrictions, we remain committed to completing the spending programme in full.
“This programme will provide contracts for local firms and secure jobs for construction workers, which will keep Essex families solvent and provide a stimulus for an economic recovery.”
To reduce time on site and increase sustainability, the new classroom block is being built using modern methods of construction.
The timber roof cassettes and precast concrete floors and stairs will all be manufactured offsite before being delivered to site complete for implementation over the coming months.
The works will be complete for when pupils return at the beginning of the next academic year in September.
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