YOUR Harlow has discovered that two schools in Cornwall, built by Caledonian Modular, who built Sir Frederick Gibberd College, have been demolished.

The two schools are: Launceston Primary Academy and Newquay Primary Academy were demolished in April 2023.

They were all demolished mid construction and so no-one had actually moved in.

This is not to suggest that Sir Frederick Gibberd College will have to be demolished.

Our thanks to Cornwall Reports for the following stories.

Newquay Primary Academy

By Local Democracy Reporter.

Published April 2023

It is not unusual for parents and teachers in some of Cornwall’s Victorian schools to lobby for new facilities.

Many primary schools are desperately overcrowded.  Classrooms designed for a different era have for decades cried out for refurbishment, if not replacement.  At least those schools have helped educate millions of children over the generations.

But now, like a house of cards collapsing in slow-motion, the consequences of the country’s economic meltdown are being witnessed in front of our very eyes.

A brand new school, under construction in Newquay, is being demolished without a single pupil ever stepping inside.  The partially completed Newquay Primary Academy had been under construction next to Newquay Tretherras School.

Children had to be taught in makeshift facilities at the local sports centre while they waited to see inside their shiny new classrooms.

And now workers have been on site pulling down the buildings which had been put up in January 2021.  The school had originally been set to open its doors in September 2021.

However a number of delays set back the project including the company which provided the buildings – Caledonian Modular, going into administration in April 2022.

Cornwall Reports understands that potential alternative building firms had not been prepared to accept liability for finishing the primary school project.

The Newquay school is not the only one in Cornwall affected by the collapse of Caledonian Modular – the new Sky Academy planned at the West Carclaze Garden Village was also set to be built by the firm and work had also started on building the new Launceston Primary School.

At West Carclaze work had started on preparing the site for the new school but no building work had started when the project was halted. The new school has been operating from a temporary site at the Eden Project until the new buildings are ready.

In Launceston work is also set to start on demolishing the part-built school there.  

The Department for Education has been reported as stating: “The main contractor originally appointed by DfE unexpectedly went into administration in March 2022, leaving several construction issues that do not comply with the DfE’s strict construction standards.

“Detailed surveys of the buildings have been completed to identify the extent of these issues and a plan of action has been agreed with the replacement main contractor to rectify and complete the works and ensure that the new building is fully compliant with the DfE’s strict quality and safety requirements. Works are anticipated to be complete in Summer 2024.”

CELT was contacted to comment on the current situation at Newquay Primary Academy but has not yet responded.

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