Bracknell and Wokingham College

New £36m campus development

New facilities built on the existing site – maintaining operations throughout construction

This complex project involved a whole campus redevelopment on the existing college-owned site at Church Road in Bracknell, while maintaining operations, minimising disruption and ensuring safety for the students and staff.

The entire site remained occupied throughout the redevelopment, and a major logistics exercise and accompanying enabling works programme was conducted in summer 2007. This addressed the site preparation and demolition of a small area of the existing buildings, to allow the scheme to proceed.

The gross internal area of the new building is 13,450sq m and construction was completed in time for occupation in September 2009. Demolition of the existing tower block and finalisation of the external works was completed in January 2010.

Our services:

  • Strategic property advice and property strategy development
  •  Feasibility studies and funding applications
  •  Intelligent Client Support
  •  Reviews, audits and health checks
  • Land acquisition and disposal
  • Space needs assessment
  • Project management
  • Procurement

Our role:

Keystone had provided strategic property advice to the College for a number of years prior to this project. We then led a feasibility study with a comprehensive options appraisal, which determined the most readily deliverable solution likely to be supported by the Planning Authority.

In delivering this project, Keystone:

  • Prepared the In Principle and Detailed Applications for capital funding support from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Our extensive experience in this field ensured a thorough and well thought-out case, with appropriate supporting evidence to demonstrate the deliverability of the preferred option.
  • Procured the design team.
  • Project managed the design to RIBA Stage D, including managing design team meetings, leading consultation with the client body and producing and monitoring the programme.
  • Supported the College through the planning process, including leading negotiations on the terms of thes106 Agreement.

Our knowledge of the operation of FE colleges, gained from working closely with staff from the very early stages through to the migration into new facilities, ensures we understand how the many and varied specialist areas function, the nature of the equipment used and the environmental conditions required.

If you think we can be of assistance, call us on 0117 952 3095, or email mail@keystone-projects.co.uk.

Case Studies

Testimonials

  • "Keystone Projects have been an integral part of our estates strategy development and implementation since 2005. Over many years they have provided a consistently high quality of service and reporting yet they are very flexible and responsive, enabling us to meet some very tight deadlines. It is very reassuring to know that Keystone is on hand to support us when required and that they know and integrate with our organisation seamlessly."
    Robert Bates, Director (Estates and Development), Coleg Gwent
  • "Keystone Projects Ltd have worked with the college for over 10 years and have provided outstanding support for a number of significant projects which has included high level strategic planning, site acquisition, space planning, bid writing support and project management. They are a professional team with a range of expertise and have an excellent knowledge and understanding of property and accommodation but most importantly understand the FE Sector."
    Laurence Frewin, Vice Principal, South Devon College
  • "Keystone always provides work to the highest professional standard and is a true partner in our projects."
    Alex Anderson, Head of Estates Development and Facilities, Coleg Gwent