Portakabin wins £28m seven-school haul

The Portakabin Group has been named preferred bidder for seven infant and primary school projects in Surrey and Kent.

The contracts for the Department for Education are worth approximately £28m. The projects will be completed by winter 2017 and constructed using Yorkon factory-built modules.

Portakabin director Simon Ambler said: “This is another milestone for the Portakabin Group and for the off-site sector.”

He said: “Off-site construction gives schools the benefits of considerable savings on programme because the sub and super structures are delivered simultaneously; it is safer because work off site is maximised, and the approach reduces disruption – which are all clear advantages when redeveloping fully operational school sites.”

Three of the seven projects are now in the design stages. The first to start on site will be Pyrford Church of England Primary School in Woking.  A £5m primary school will be constructed to accommodate 480 children from the start of the 2016/17 academic year. It will replace an existing single-storey school, which will then be demolished.