Kier has signed as main works contractor for a brace of school rebuilds worth nearly £100m, including a flagship low carbon GenZero academy in Lancashire and a replacement school for the RAAC-hit Anglo European School in Essex.
The contrctor will deliver the £45m Wellfield Academy in Leyland, Lancashire, alongside the £53m redevelopment of the Anglo European School in Ingatestone, Essex.
The Lancashire job will see Kier build a new 6,540 sq m secondary school as one of the DfE’s flagship GenZero pathfinder projects, designed to test the next generation of ultra low carbon education buildings.
The new campus will comprise a three-storey teaching block linked at first floor level to a two-storey commons building while retaining the existing sports hall.
Designed by Kier Design, the school will use a cross laminated timber structural frame, ground source heat pumps, solar PV panels, natural ventilation and enhanced airtightness to slash embodied and operational carbon. Extensive biophilic landscaping, biodiversity enhancements and outdoor learning spaces will also form part of the scheme.
Construction will be phased, starting with demolition of an existing building to make way for the new commons block before the remaining teaching blocks are replaced.
The project is due for completion by the end of 2028.
Kier has a £53m contract to replace the Anglo European School
RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) forced the closure of its sixth form centre in 2023.
Planning permission has already been granted for the redevelopment, which includes a new three-storey school building, canopy, multi-use games area, amphitheatre, car park and extensive hard and soft landscaping.
The replacement school has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation while providing significantly upgraded teaching facilities that reflect the school’s international ethos and specialist curriculum.
Source:https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2026/07/27/kier-lands-98m-double-school-build-boost/