Willmott Dixon has been appointed by South Gloucestershire Council as preferred bidder to build the new £16m Yate International Academy after the project was given the green light following a review of academy schemes by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

The new facility in Sundridge Park, Yate, will replace the former King Edmund Community School, where the academy opened last year, as one of the Ridings Federation of Academies. The school’s existing 45-year-old buildings will be demolished and replaced with an innovative and exciting development for all the community.

Led by Aedas Architecture of Bristol, the team developed a central, open space at the entrance around the main hall at first floor level. Branded as the 'Hub', this will be a vibrant meeting and social space and will allow large images of the world to be projected onto the cylindrical wall. Roger Gilbert, Principal of Yate International Academy commented that this fully expressed the "wow" factor that they had been seeking.

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Willmott Dixon is due to start on site in March 2011 with the new academy opening by September 2012, subject to full planning approval.

The Academy will have a number of sustainable features, such as heat coming from a ground source heat pump, photovoltaics providing energy to pump the water from the ground and extensive use of highly insulated materials to retain the heat and reduced energy costs.

Neal Stephens, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the South West, where the company has an office in Bristol, said: "We are delighted to be given the go ahead on this important project. The team worked very hard to secure it against very tough competition and are looking forward to getting started on site next year.

"We will now work closely with South Gloucestershire Council, Mace, the Sponsor/Academy Trust and Dr Robert Gibson, the Chief Executive Principal of Riding’s Federation of Academies, the Principal of the Academy, staff, parents, students and governors over the next few months to achieve the final design before we start on site. We are keen that all stakeholders have an input and influence on the academy to ensure it can enhance the whole community in Yate."

(CD)