Leadbitter awarded contracts to build two new SureStart children's centres in West Berkshire
(21/05/2010)

The Leadbitter Group has been awarded contracts to build two new SureStart children's centres in Burghfield and Tilehurst on behalf of the West Berkshire Council. New facilities are being constructed for the Burghfield Children's Centre, based at Mrs Bland's Infant and Nursery School, Burghfield Common, Reading, and the Tilehurst Children's Centre, based at Downsway Primary School, Tilehurst.

Both single storey, timber frame buildings are being constructed to achieve a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. Responsibly sourced timber, ground source heat recovery systems and ecological features such as bat and bird boxes, ground hibernacula for newts and planting of new trees, will all contribute to achieving this high rating.

In addition, Leadbitter has visited both primary schools to educate the pupils on the dangers of construction sites and important health and safety information via its bespoke Safe Play At All Times (SPLAAT) presentation. Downsway School's Eco Group was also welcomed onto the Tilehurst site to learn more about the environmentally efficient features included in the new building. Parents, teachers and local residents of both sites are also being kept up to date on the construction progress via regular newsletters.

Both projects are registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme and have achieved scores well above the national average.

While these are the first children's centres Leadbitter has undertaken for the West Berkshire Council, the Company has a great deal of experience providing this type of facility, having completed projects such as the Rowans SureStart Children's Centre for Milton Keynes Council, a SureStart Children's Family Centre in Wellingborough for NCH Eastern (now Action for Children) and the reconfiguration of an existing school block to accommodate the Bicester Children's Centre for Oxfordshire County Council.

Ian Batchelor, Construction Manager of Leadbitter‟s Special Projects Division, said: "£Leadbitter is very pleased to be associated with this initiative by West Berkshire Council to strive for a BREEAM “Excellent” rating for these facilities, which will be integral to the local community."

Leadbitter is currently constructing a new extension for Chalgrove Children's Centre, based at Chalgrove Primary School, as well as carrying out internal alterations and refurbishment of the existing building, and is on site at Eynsham Community Primary School constructing the new Eynsham Children‟s Centre—both on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.