Education - Case Study
Islington New North Community School
 | Location | Islington, London |
| Project type | PPP | |
| Client | London Borough Council of Islington | |
| Developer | Community Solutions for Schools Limited | |
| Started | July 2005 | |
| Architects | Sprunt Limited | |
| Funder | Morgan Sindall Investments Limited | |
| Capital value | £36 million |
“The New North Community School is the first new primary school development in Islington since the 1960’s and is an excellent example of the provision of 21st century education facilities through partnership working between the public and private sector”
The facilities created by the New North Community School have given a much needed boost to the primary education and related social services as well as affordable housing available for a growing number of residents in the Islington area. The School is the first integrated children’s centre and primary school development in England and it is the first primary school development in Islington since the 1960’s.
Procured as a turnkey PPP development, the School is the result of joint working and partnership between our venture, Community Solutions for Schools (CSS), and the London Borough of Islington. CSS provided a single point of contact for the all contracts relating to the development. The merger of the Charles Lamb Primary School and the Ecclesbourne Primary School provides the opportunity for a new build school on the Charles Lamb site funded by 1. Residential development of the Ecclesbourne site and 2.
Development of part of the Charles Lamb site for Affordable Housing. The new accommodation provides a vibrant Learning Centre where students, teachers, parents, social services and other stakeholders share in the delivery of enhanced education and training to meet community objectives and improve opportunities for local residents. The School has been designed to maximise the multi-purpose use of space:
- The school development is a three storey new build development with total gross internal area of 3,949 sq m
- New North Community School provides an inclusive environment, complying with the latest standards of disability access and providing the visually impaired with sensory experiences by the development’s “textured garden”.
- The affordable housing development is a part four / part five storey new build development of 59 flats and maisonettes.
- The residential development comprises the conversion of a Grade II Listed existing school and ancillary new build development to provide 62 flats for sale.
- Community services including a Sure Start Children’s Centre for 50 children, dance hall, catering, changing rooms and multi-use games facilities.
The development is a mix of rented, key worker and shared ownership accommodation. Affordable housing comprises 49% of total residential development, well in excess of the Authority’s 35% target, and just short of the long-term 50% objective set by the Greater London Authority. The School is designed to be accessible, both in terms of physical access to all areas, but also in terms of being accessible and welcoming to parents and the community, making it easy for them to use the facilities during and out of school hours.
The delivery of 21st century education accommodation with affordable housing enables the Authority to provide attractive facilities for the local community as well as teachers, staff and other key workers. Overall, the New North Community School project is an example of how partnership working between the public and private sectors has maximized the use of public sector assets to achieve wider community benefits.
 | PDF Download Case Study |