New 10,000 sqm school in Northern Ireland

Construction commences at new 10,000 sq m school in Northern Ireland

May 2023 – Construction work has started at New-Bridge Integrated College in Loughbrickland, Northern Ireland, where a new school building and sports hall will be erected on the site of the existing school and adjacent land, covering 10,000 sq m to accommodate 620 students.

The new school, for which HLM completed Stage 4 design, will be built by Ganson UK and replace the current accommodation of two main buildings and several modular structures. The modern three-section design features two wings of teaching spaces connected by a central block housing the entrance, library, and dining facilities. The construction of a sports hall, sports pitch, synthetic pitch, and tennis courts is also planned, along with media studies rehearsal and recording spaces. Furthermore, a car parking area, school bus drop-off point, and a new entrance onto Donard View Road have been incorporated into the design to improve accessibility.

Emma-Louise Hannigan, Associate at HLM Architects, said: “New-Bridge Integrated College has been designed to provide an exceptional learning environment that meets the diverse needs of students, both academically and through extracurricular activities. Despite the challenges posed by the site and the project’s phasing, we are excited to see construction work underway on the new school development, which will equip staff and pupils with the necessary resources to teach and thrive academically.”

The project was designed to RIBA Stage 3 by AECOM and is already on track to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating. Completion is expected June 2025.