Our Projects: Onslow St Audrey’s School Expansion
Since our appointment in 2020, we have been working with Danes Educational Trust to deliver a considerable programme of new buildings and facilities at Onslow St Audrey’s School. This expansion has allowed the school to meet the growing demand of school places in Hatfield.
The project has created seven new laboratories and prep rooms, four new classrooms, a four-court sports hall, changing rooms, a dance studio, a 9-a-side 3G all weather football pitch, tennis courts, a new school car park and landscaping.
The school campus has evolved substantially over the course of the expansion, with construction of the new buildings taking place on a site involving significant archeological investigation, drainage attenuation and biodiversity enhancement.
Split into four phases, the project implemented the school’s part of a hybrid planning permission alongside a residential development of 87 dwellings built by Durkan Homes on the school’s old car park and corner of the field.
100sqm of Solar PV has been added to the roofs of the sports hall as well as air source heat pumps. Next to the new sports hall is a new hard surface play area with canopies and new cycle stores.
A SuDs scheme was implemented around the site that involved permeable tarmac, swales and an attenuation basin / pond as a Great Crested Newt habitat. Measures were put in place and carefully coordinated during construction to protect local wildlife, such as installing newt fencing.
The modern sports facilities are also used by community groups and clubs such as THFC Juniors.
The extensive grounds are now secured with a new palisade fence around the entire school site.
Synergy’s services included project management, quantity surveying and architectural design consultancy / support. The contractor for the buildings was TJ Evers and the contractor for the all weather pitch was McArdle Sport Tec.
Dominic Richards, Chief Operating Officer of Danes Education Trust commented:
“Danes Educational Trust appointed Synergy LLP as our consultant team to deliver an expansion project and investment into new sporting facilities at Onslow St Audrey’s School, Hatfield. The project which was completed over 2 phases was funded via a land disposal and expansion funding from Hertfordshire County Council. This investment has been an ambition of the school since 2012 and provides modern teaching and sporting environments/facilities for future generations.
The Synergy team provided excellent support, advice and guidance throughout the project on areas such as complex planning conditions, design, cost and construction alongside ensuring that the normal school operations were not disrupted. Synergy is a valued partner to the Trust and has supported various capital projects across trust schools including expansion and Condition Improvement Fund. I look forward to working with them on future projects.”
- Client: Danes Educational Trust
- Sector: Education
- Services: Building SurveyingCost ConsultancyProject Management
- Contract: Various
