Marlborough Hill Campus FAQs

1. How is the project being funded?

The Marlborough Hill Campus (MHC) Project brings together circa £40million of funding from three separate initiatives funded by the Department for Education (DfE) plus a limited amount of the schools’ own capital funds.  The initiatives are:

• Building Schools for the Future (BSF)
• Primary Capital Programme (PCP)
• Back on Track .

2. What is the Building Schools for the Future programme and how is it  connected with the MHC Project?

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a national programme to lift educational attainment through a complete transformation of England’s secondary schools.  All of Westminster’s secondary schools and special schools are being provided with either entirely new, or partially new and refurbished facilities as part of the programme.  Further information about Westminster’s BSF programme can be found at www.westminster.gov.uk/bsf

Quintin Kynaston Community Foundation School and the Alternative Provision Centre are both part of Westminster’s BSF programme.

3. What is the Primary Capital Programme (PCP) and how is it connected with the MHC Project?

The PCP is a sister programme to BSF, focusing on rebuilding, remodelling, or refurbishing at least 50 per cent of primary schools in England.  The rebuilding of George Eliot Primary School on the Marlborough Hill Campus is the first priority for delivery within Westminster’s PCP.

4. What is Back on Track and how is it part of the MHC Project?

Back on Track is a Government project to transform alternative provision (i.e. educational provision outside of mainstream schools) to improve the outcomes for young people.  Westminster has been granted funding for a pilot scheme to test new and innovative ways of teaching.  Westminster’s Back on Track scheme will be incorporated into space being provided on the Campus for the Alternative Provision Centre.

5. Who will be managing and delivering the project?

The project will be managed by Westminster City Council’s BSF team and will be delivered through the Westminster Local Education Partnership Ltd (the LEP), which is a joint venture company, originally established to deliver Westminster’s BSF programme.  The main contractor is Bouygues Partnership for Education and Community (BPEC).

BPEC is a consortium of several companies:

• Bouygues UK - part of the large French owned Bouygues construction company;
  
  
• Capita IT Services - ICT company with educational transformation and technology expertise;
  
  
• Ecovert - a Bouygues Group subsidiary running facilities management contracts (although not currently providing services to Westminster City Council).

6. How will disruption to local residents be minimised during construction?

As with all projects within Westminster’s BSF programme, construction work will be limited to set hours to minimise disruption.  Specific contractual obligations will be in place to restrict noisy work.  The standard hours of work at other BSF sites are 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturdays, with no noise to be audible at the site boundaries outside of these hours. To minimise traffic congestion, WCC will work with the contractor to agree appropriate hours for deliveries, which will be managed on and off the site by marshals.

7. How will disruption to schools be minimised during construction?

Westminster City Council has successfully worked with the LEP and site staff to ensure disruptions have been kept to a minimum at all schools at which construction work is ongoing. The same approach will be taken on the Marlborough Hill Campus project.

8. What are the project timescales?

The project will be delivered in two phases.  The first includes building all facilities at the southern end of the site - George Eliot Primary School and Alternative Provision Centre (APC).  The second phase will see new facilities provided for Quintin Kynaston School.

• Current programmed phase 1 construction start date: 2011
• Current programmed phase 2 construction start date: 2012
• Current programmed full site completion date: 2014

9. What is the approach to gaining planning permission for this project?

In response to comments made by residents and the advice of the Local Planning Authority, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been carried out, the results of which were reflected in the Environmental Statement that formed part of the planning applicaitons submitted in July 2010:

• a full application for George Eliot Primary School and the Alternative Provision Centre;
• an outline application for the Quintin Kynaston School proposals.

Planning permission was granted for temporary teaching accommodation required on site during the project on 12 August 2010.

On 16 February 2011, the Planning and City Development Committee resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions for George Eliot School and the APC. The Committee also resolved to grant outline permission for the rebuilding of Quintin Kynaston School (QK) in terms of approving the principle of development and access points.  Further design is now in progress on the layout and external appearance of the new QK School, with the detailed design due to be considered by Westminster’s Planning and City Development Committee after further public consultation.   

10. Will parking be provided on the site?

The number of permanent spaces proposed matches the number provided currently. As the campus is served by good transport links, the use of public transport will be encouraged.  Ample cycle parking will also be provided for use by school staff, students and visitors.

11. Will the number of people using the site increase once the project is complete?

There are currently approximately 2000 staff and pupils on the site each school day.  This will increase by only approximately 70 (3.5%) with the addition of the Alternative Provision Centre, including both staff and pupils.

12. Why is George Eliot Primary School being moved to the opposite end of the site?

Moving the school to the south of the site enables all schools to remain in operation during the build, ensuring there is no disruption to education.  It also allows the majority of the school buildings to be set back from Boundary Road, Marlborough Hill and Marlborough Place.   

13. Will the amount of trees and green areas be maintained?

The landscaping  solution will allow the maximum number of trees and green areas to be maintained, whilst also helping the site to be used and maintained more effectively.   We are committed to landscaping the site to a high standard and will be planting 99 new trees – approximately twice the number being removed. 

If you have a question not answered here, please email your enquiry to: marlboroughhillcampus@westminster.gov.uk