New decision set to be made as construction costs rise at gas free £36million school in Milton Keynes

Council officers say that a range of factors have caused the construction element of the new Glebe Farm School to increase, including design changes and the cost of steel rising as a result of Brexit.

A precise breakdown of the new costs is being kept under wraps by Milton Keynes Council officers who are having to ask a member of the council’s cabinet to approve the move at a meeting next week.

Members of the cabinet are asked to approve decisions in public if budgeted costs rise by 10 per cent or more on any contract over a certain value.

Council officers, in their report to Cllr Zoe Nolan (Lab, Loughton & Shenley), the cabinet member for schools and families, say that despite the increase in construction costs the total amount allocated is staying within the £35.6m which was approved in September 2019.

As well as construction costs the budget also included a contingency buffer and all professional fees, surveys and staff costs.

Although they are quoting the need to protect the business affairs of the council in keeping precise cost increases secret, the report sets out four broad reasons why Morgan Sindall’s costs have gone up.

Firstly they say the design of the school now includes a separate community entrance and admin space to enhance community use of the sports facilities; as well as a large central ‘heart’ forum space that can be used for community events.

The council’s own planning department has set down rules for parking and drainage that mean they will have to use large areas of permeable paving underneath drop-off and staff parking areas.

They have also had to make changes to meet Sport England requirements for pitches, including having to remove a spoil heap that has been left on the site.

They add that an “uncertain and volatile market due to Covid-19 and Brexit has led to increases in inflation on the dry lining/walls and partitions packages; cladding and an increase in steel prices by some £250 per tonne.”

The new all-through primary and secondary school, with 39 full time nursery places and room for up to 1,530 pupils from reception to year 11, is set to be open ready for the the new academic year in September 2022.

A report to next Tuesday’s (February 9) delegated decisions meeting says that if the council doesn’t approve the decision there won’t be enough school places for the growing population in south east Milton Keynes.

Council officers add that the school, on a 95,000 square metre site, will have “many positives” including that it won’t use gas.

In a first for the council, science lessons will use electric Bunsen burners. Heating and hot water are set to be provided by air source heat pumps instead of gas boilers.

They also say there will be a genuine investment in community use sports facilities in the Glebe Farm area.