Somerset Schools
The background
Somerset Schools was part of Somerset County Council’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme that involved major investment in education infrastructure. The programme aimed to deliver world-class learning environments that will inspire and engage young people, enabling students to reach their full potential.
The project involved the construction of three schools in Bridgewater, Somerset, UK. In 2010, the consortium Somerset Schools BSF Ltd – compromising Invesis, Amber Infrastructure and Futures for Somerset were awarded the PFI contract to design, build, finance and maintain the concession.
By partnering with Somerset Schools BSF Ltd, Somerset County Council received a sustainable, high-quality asset that accommodates and meets the educational needs of over 2,000 students.
Client
Somerset County Council
Sponsor/Investor
Invesis, Amber Infrastructure, Futures for Somerset
Capital Value
€55m
Consortium
Somerset Schools BSF Ltd
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
BAM Construct UK
Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
BAM FM
Business value
During the bidding phase, Invesis alongside our partners embarked on an extensive consultation exercise with the Council and the schools, to ensure that each of the buildings were able to respond to the end users’ specific educational needs, characteristics and specialist stakeholder requirements. As a result, each of the schools were developed with innovative, bespoke designs.
Throughout the operational phase, the consortium continues to work closely with the client in conjunction with our maintenance partner BAM FM, to deliver a range of managed services to ensure the school is maintained to a high standard. For example, BAM has provided comprehensive ESG data and carried out various improvements as per the project agreement including; LED lighting upgrades and a Climate and Transition Risk review.
The asset has been operational for 11 years and throughout the project’s lifecycle, Invesis has developed strong client and partner relationships, engendering mutual trust. We were able to create desirable solutions that had buy in from end users as well as our delivery partners, which addressed all client needs including school opening dates, affordability and the successful delivery of a comprehensive range of services.
Key features
By using the PFI model and partnering with Invesis, the project…
- was delivered on time preventing disruption to students receiving their education
- team successfully engaged with the local community by creating work experience programmes for year 10 students and including specific stakeholder groups throughout the construction phase
- is a pillar for educational growth, development and social cohesion for the communities it serves
