Following a ground-breaking ceremony on the 1^st of July, GSSArchitecture’s Milton Keynes Studio are delighted to share that work has begun on the expansion of Hanslope Primary School. Working alongside Main Contractor, R G Carter, on this exciting project, GSS are providing Architectural services in order to significantly increase the capacity of the school, taking the number of places available from 270 to 480.

The expansion includes construction of a two-storey building to provide twelve additional classrooms and associated facilities, as well as a new all-weather sports pitch and an increased parking area. The two-storey design was developed to minimise the footprint of the building, having less of an impact on the school site and playing field where it will be located. Additional land was acquired as part of a Section 106 agreement to accommodate the all-weather sports pitch, south west of the current school boundary.

Chris Chapman, Partner in charge of GSSArchitecture’s Milton Keynes office, commented “The entire project team worked hard to achieve planning permission for this significant expansion earlier this year, so we’re all proud to see the project progressing well, with R G Carter recently starting on site.

Once complete, the expansion will assist Milton Keynes Council in their goal to increase the number of school places available, which will be great for the local community.”

The approved designs evolved through a continuous assessment, involving representatives from Milton Keynes Council and Hanslope Primary School. The Ofsted rated “Outstanding” school has been at the heart of its local community since it was first built, so it was important for GSSArchitecture and the entire design team to work closely with both the school and the council, to ensure that the designs suitably meet the needs of the village, school and its students.

Councillor Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “Hanslope Primary is a very popular school in a fast-growing area of Milton Keynes.  These new facilities are good news for both staff and pupils and will enable more families to access this great school.  We will continue to focus on creating quality school places to support current and future generations of children across Milton Keynes.”

Ken Woodhall, Commercial Manager at R G Carter says; “We are proud to mark the start of this much-needed teaching facility for the local community. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Milton Keynes Council and Hanslope Primary School and providing the students and staff with a building that will benefit future generations.”

If you would like to know more about what GSSArchitecture have been up to recently, or would like any more information on the projects they are currently working on across the country, then please visit www.gssarchitecture.com