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Free Schools lift for Willmott Dixon

22 Jan 13 Willmott Dixon’s growing reputation for building schools has seen it sign up its 17th and 18th Free School projects.

The old Polly Peck HQ in Comnmercial Road will house Wapping High School
The old Polly Peck HQ in Comnmercial Road will house Wapping High School

The contractor’s latest two Free Schools are both in London, to create new homes for The West London Free School and Wapping High School ready for use in September 2013.

The government’s Free Schools initiative allows groups of parents, teachers and local communities to set up new schools where there is parental demand.

Wapping High School is a secondary school in East London that opened in September 2012 in temporary accommodation in a local church. It has received planning permission for a permanent site on Commercial Road that Willmott Dixon will create in a £5.4m contract.

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The West London Free School, set up by journalist Toby Young, was one of the first of 24 Free Schools to open in 2011. Just over a year into operation, the school has nine applicants for every place. Willmott Dixon is now completing site investigations to create a permanent home for the school in Pallinswick House, Kings Street, Hammersmith and aims to sign a £8.4m contract in March.

Both schools were procured through the Scape framework.

Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon in north London, said:  "Willmott Dixon is fast developing a track record in Free Schools, being selected as construction partner of choice by Free School groups. These latest schemes - the West London Free School and Wapping High School - will create excellent learning environments that support these new schools. We look forward to getting on site as soon as possible so that we can provide permanent homes for these schools, their teachers and their students."

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