Wates has been selected to deliver a £30 million education campus in Cumbria.

Work on the new Campus Whitehaven is to begin in February 2017.

The contractor will start developing designs for the new facility until the end of November and planning application submission is scheduled for mid-December.

Features of the development include modern facilities for St Benedict's Catholic High School and Mayfield Special School, bringing the two schools together on the St Benedict's site.

Consultations are to be held with the community to gather views on the design and layout of the new schools and sports facilities.

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Tony Shenton, Business Unit Director, Wates Construction North West, said: "The partners leading the development of Campus Whitehaven share a vision to create a state-of-the-art centre for learning and sport, and Wates' extensive experience in education positions us as the ideal contracting partner to take this forward.

"Wates' growing presence in Cumbria has seen us launch a significant local economic benefits strategy to ensure that our work is a catalyst for the region's economy. As such, we will now be working with local supply chain partners and training providers to generate training and employment opportunities throughout the build programme."

Cllr David Southward added: "It's exciting to see the project progress and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the final designs."

It is anticipated the campus will open its doors to pupils in September 2018.

(LM/CD)