Staff at Peterborough City Council have been praised for their commitment and efficiency in bringing forward proposals for the design and construction of new £20.6 million premises for Ormiston Bushfield Academy.

At a contract signing ceremony at Peterborough Town Hall Kier Eastern Managing Director Graham Howe and Ormiston Education Chief Executive Ian Cleland congratulated the city council's project team and planning officers for their dedicated support for the project.

"The team effort is absolutely superb," said Mr Howe. "We would not have reached this point without the help of the project team. I have never known such a complex project progress so smoothly." He also praised the council’s planning team for processing the plans so quickly.

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Mr Cleland added: "We could not have found a better local authority partner than Peterborough. Councillors and officers have always shown absolute commitment to our shared vision of a community academy. We have an outstanding principal in Eric Winstone and I think the best is still to come."

Council Leader Councillor Marco Cereste added: "Over £135 million has been invested in new and improved secondary schools and around £40 million in primary schools over the past six years in support of our plans to raise educational attainment in Peterborough.

"Providing new premises for the Ormiston Bushfield Academy is another step in meeting the educational needs of our growing city."

Kier will commence initial enabling works, including re-routing a cycleway, part construction of a new all -weather sports pitch and construction of a new maintenance depot, in early December. The main construction work will start in March 2011 with the removal of the existing all-weather pitch.

(CD/BMcC)