Torfaen Learning Zone
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Location: Cwmbran
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Sector: Education
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Division: Regional Building
This project involved the design and construction of a new four-storey sixth form college in Cwmbran, leased and used by Coleg Gwent.
The new facility is the home of all English language A level education in Torfaen and also offers Welsh Baccalaureate and a range of complementary level 2 and 3 qualifications. Located in the centre of Cwmbran with excellent transport links and facilities, it serves all pupils in the borough and is the pathway for Torfaen students into higher education, training, and employment.
In addition to a wide range of A levels and other courses, the new facility also offers courses to the wider community and provides all university sector major subjects and has specialist teaching facilities for biology, chemistry, physics, IT/computer science, photography, art, drama/theatre studies, and music.
At a glance...
£24m
Project value
August 2020
Completion date
Torfaen County Borough Council
Client
Facilities include two large atriums, performance hall, multi-use classrooms, an art studio, acoustic rooms, IT and science laboratories, library and study centre, a café with an external terrace, communal/social breakout spaces and an enclosed roof garden.
The building is fully accessible and includes specialist facilities for pupils with additional learning needs such as hearing loops and rooms with acoustic treatment, specially designed signage and colour schemes to help the visually impaired find their way around the college, appropriate level 1 and 2 courses with additional ILS facilities, and a hygiene room with a hoist.
Works also include a large car park, both under and around the building, together with a new access road, turning circle and bus stop and public realm space. A new substation, sprinkler house and telecoms infrastructure were also provided.
Challenges and solutions
Following advice from National Resources Wales, we constructed the building on concrete stilts to ensure the building’s level was high enough to mitigate risk of flood damage. We created a channel alongside the building to direct any flood water away from the building towards the water overflow which runs alongside the railway line. The flooding risk is now one in one-thousand years.
The college was built on an old brake lining factory site which had also been used for munitions during World War 2. Various surveys were carried out to ascertain what was below ground. The site was also in the flood plain and a flood consequence assessment had to be carried out for the permanent design of the development.
Contamination on site consisted of:
- Total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in excess of hazardous waste threshold
- Soils contaminated with heavy metals
- Asbestos fibres in soil and asbestos containing materials in the ground
We developed and agreed with the client and regulator a remediation strategy, which involved breaking up and crushing the existing slab and turning over made ground to varying depths depending on contamination. Hazardous spoil was removed from site. This was then capped with an identifying membrane and the crushed slab. Levels had to remain the same as per the flood consequence assessment. Groundwater was monitored and treated as required.
Added value
- Assisted surrounding schools with Year 11 student option evenings
- Arranged site visits for local schools
- Regular visits from Coleg Gwent
- Provided a stall at a careers event
- Attended a “Women in Construction” event
- A previously unemployed person was employed as a receptionist
- We also installed a gully for the neighbouring Meritor factory to reduce ponding in their area and helped the factory with a new boundary fence
Our partners
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Structural Engineer: WSP
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M&E Engineer: Hoare Lea
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Architect: Boyes Rees Architects