Contractor starts work on £11.8m primary school

Willmott Dixon has started construction on a new £11.8 million primary school in the East Midlands.

The firm has been appointed by Leicestershire County Council to deliver the 420-place Garendon Primary School in Loughborough.

Willmott Dixon is due to complete the two-storey building in July 2027, ahead of the school opening to pupils that September.

Director Nick Heath said: “We have worked with Leicestershire County Council for two decades, and Garendon is the first school we are building to the standardised design we created specifically for the council.

“That design lets each new school start from what we learned on the last one, taking time and cost out of the process, which matters when demand for places in areas like west Loughborough is rising as fast as it is.

“Garendon will give 420 children a modern place to learn and gives the council a repeatable model it can use again as the county grows.”