Watson Batty Architects has revealed it is on track to hit £3 million turnover next year thanks to a boost in work in the education sector.

The practice is on target for £3m turnover in April 2018 year end and £4m by 2020, representing a 20% growth year on year.

Almost 30% of the company's current turnover is generated by projects across the education sector after the company deliberately embarked on a business drive to make itself a reliable resource for the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding and procurement processes.

It has recently successfully designed and delivered a number of schemes on behalf of the EFSA, such as the Dixons McMillan Secondary Academy in Bradford and Temple Learning All Through Academy, in Leeds. Other projects are underway at Wynyard Primary School in Stockton-On-Tees and The Stepjen Longfellow Alternative Provision Academy in Leeds.

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Other developments recently completed by the practice include a new £3.6 million annex for Hollybush Primary School in Leeds, and a £10m refurbishment and link building extension for Hertha Ayrton STEM Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.

Mark Sidding, Education Director at Watson Batty, said: "We are a 41-year-old practice with considerable skills in all manner of education projects. However in recent years we have honed our 'learning' sector knowledge in line with new ESFA procurement to best position the practice to advise following the pending new contractors framework announcement."

Elsewhere, the practice has experienced a major increase in commissions in the residential sector which accounts for 20% of current turnover and an increase in sports and leisure at 11%. The commercial and industrial sector remain the core of the business at 38%.

Mr Sidding added: "These figures reflect our continued efforts to maintain a healthy mix of project work and, with an in-house team of 50 people, we are able to offer very specialist expertise as well as versatility.

"We continue to invest heavily in our technological capabilities to remain a future focused practice for architectural, interior design and principal designer services as well as master planning solutions."

Image: Hollybush Primary School.

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