Willmott Dixon has handed Hampshire County Council the keys to their new £8.5m Barton Farm Primary Academy in Winchester. The new school will provide over 400 new school places for children in the surrounding area.

Delivered in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown, the architecturally striking school, designed by the County Council’s award winning Property Services Team, features a main hall, holistic music and drama studio, 'discovery point' library, staff room and workspace, administration offices, and classrooms offering a high quality learning environment. The school provides much-needed school places following large scale residential development in the local area. Sustainability has been at the heart of the design, achieving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ energy efficiency rating, providing an energy efficient learning environment for its new occupants.

The new school has been designed to create an environment where children will learn and flourish, which is aspirational, inclusive, and joyful. Working closely with Hampshire County Council and the academy sponsor, The University of Winchester Academy Trust, the project benefits from extensive regional school partnerships, evidence-based learning and teaching, and powerful links with local businesses and community organisations.

Richard Poulter, Managing Director, said:

"We are delighted to construct one of the most sustainable schools in Hampshire, creating a fantastic learning environment for generations to come. Our delivery team has embraced the Construction Leadership Council’s Covid-19 Site Operating Procedures, allowing for critical construction work to continue during these unprecedented times, to achieve handover in time for the new academic year."