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Morgan Sindall Construction's Cambridgeshire business has broken ground on the new Great Haddon Primary School in Peterborough. The project, commissioned by Peterborough City Council and designed by Lungfish Architects, was procured via the SCAPE National Framework.
The new two-storey, two-form entry facility will create 420 school places for nursery and primary-years provision on a new housing development south of Peterborough. The school is scheduled for completion in late 2026, ready for use in early 2027.
The main school building will feature 12 classrooms and includes three-metre-wide 'learning streets' on both floors, which will provide enhanced educational opportunities through access to libraries, one-to-one teaching zones, and small group areas. The southern end of the building will house the main school hall, kitchen, and related spaces.
A dedicated single-storey Early Years section will include two nursery and two reception classrooms, complete with associated facilities and an outside play area. Externally, the development will include a 9 x 9 football pitch that will double as an athletics track, alongside a multi-use games area (MUGA).
Sustainability is a key focus for the project. Morgan Sindall has utilised its digital carbon calculation tool, CarboniCa, to inform the design, which includes the installation of photovoltaic panels (PVs) to generate the school's energy requirements.
A central target is the delivery of a 12% biodiversity net gain for the school's construction and operation. This will be achieved by creating an attenuation pond with plants, wetland grasses, trees, and raised beds designed to encourage local wildlife. This pond and a nearby rain garden will also serve as educational spaces for pupils.
Jamie Shearman, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction, noted: "The start of construction at Great Haddon's new primary school marks an important milestone... In such a fast-growing area as this, it is imperative educational facilities are created that can match the local scale and demand with high-quality learning environments."
