Esh Construction has teamed up with Durham County Council to deliver a new primary school in Spennymoor.

The contractor is replacing the existing Ox Close Primary and Ox Close Nursery Schools.

The two-storey school is expected to open in September 2024 and have capacity for up to 630 pupils in addition to a nursery unit. The new school will be called Springmoor Grange School and will be located on the Durham Road site of the former Tudhoe Grange Comprehensive School.

Passers-by can see the latest progress externally, with brickwork, rainscreen cladding and curtain walling all substantially complete, allowing the perimeter scaffold to be taken down to reveal the new building. Photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed on the roof which will allow the school to generate its own solar energy.

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The fit-out internally, including first and second fix joinery, is well underway and will create 21 teaching classrooms, a nursery, learning community suite, library, office spaces, staff room, toilet facilities, changing rooms, hall, and dining and kitchen facilities. Fixed furniture is also being installed, including classroom kitchens.

First fix mechanical and electrical works are well advanced and over the coming weeks, the focus will be on finishes and decoration as Esh Construction moves towards final handover.

The site car park is complete and work is ongoing off Spennymoor's Durham Road to form new entrances into the school.

Grant Watson, Construction Manager for Esh's commercial build division, said: "At Esh, we are proud to work within the local community to deliver a brand-new primary school that will benefit the local area for years to come. Working alongside Durham County Council, the school is being delivered to ensure that children in the area have the best facilities to learn and develop in their early school years.

"Throughout the scheme, we are working hard to maximise the social and economic benefits for the local area – to date, 91% of the workforce are from the North East region, 166 apprentice weeks have been delivered, and 24 veterans have worked on the project."

The project is being designed and funded by Durham County Council and will ensure school provision in Spennymoor keeps pace with growing demand for places.