Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed as the preferred bidder for the first phase of a major new education campus in Alconbury Weald.

The development will be driven by a working partnership between Morgan Sindall Construction, Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC), Huntingdon District Council (HDC), the Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust (DEMAT), the Spring Common Academy Trust (which will lead and manage the Prestley Wood Academy Special School) and the developer, Urban&Civic (U&C).

The project forms the next phase of Urban&Civic’s delivery of Alconbury Weald, which currently include homes, a primary school, community facilities, green spaces, play areas and over one million square foot of business space. In total the development will comprise 5,000 new homes, health centre and retail hub, sustainable transport links, and over 500 acres of green space, including a country park.

Phase one includes the construction of 600-place secondary school with infrastructure to enable it to grow to provide 1,200 places in the future. The school has been named Alconbury Weald Church Academy, which will be run by the Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust.

The school is are scheduled to open from September 2023.

Councillor Simon Bywater, chairman of the Children and Young People’s Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “The Alconbury Weald education campus is an important investment for the county council, and I’d like to congratulate Morgan Sindall Construction on their appointment. The development will have great benefit for the community and will provide a high-quality education facility to all children and young people.”

Rebecca Britton at Urban&Civic said: “Education lies at the heart of everything we do and is in the DNA of the places we craft. This education campus is an exciting new chapter for the development and will not only deliver landmark civic buildings at the heart of the new community, but also partners us with strong education providers in DEMAT and Spring Common Trusts. The opportunity to deliver much needed special needs capacity for the local area alongside an inspirational secondary school and sixth form is a fundamental part of our commitment to Alconbury Weald.”

Morgan Sindall Construction is currently on site at other school projects across the region including a new primary school in St Neots.