Re Contract

14 Oct 2009 07:00

14th October 2009 INTERSERVE WINS NEW 77m SANDWELL COLLEGE CAMPUS

Interserve has begun work on the new, 77 million Sandwell College campus in West Bromwich following confirmation of funding by the Learning and Skills Council at the end of August. With preparations on site now under way, it is expected that construction will be complete by the autumn of 2011.

Sandwell College is one of the largest further education providers in the West Midlands, with a total of around 7,000 students and over 600 staff, in both cases a mixture of full and part-time. It currently operates on three main campuses in Oldbury, Smethwick and West Bromwich. Many of the buildings are approaching the end of their intended design life and overall the existing estate no longer provides accommodation that meets the College's educational needs.

The College's vision is to transform the image of further education in the area by creating a single, new campus in West Bromwich. One of the goals is to provide exciting and flexible learning environments that will attract and encourage people to participate in lifelong learning. The new building will provide a diverse range of highly specialist vocational facilities including performance and rehearsal venues, a fitness suite, sports hall and hair and beauty salons. These are supported by state-of-the-art general teaching and ICT classrooms together with flexible study centres, staff areas and student social and support facilities.

The new, 25,300 sq m structure will have a stepped form that climbs from the western end of the building to become seven stories high at the eastern end. There will be two accommodation `fingers' linked by a large atrium space - a key feature that rises to the full height of the building and mirrors the curving edge of the West Bromwich Ringway. Externally a high quality landscaped piazza will link the entrance of the new college to the main pedestrian routes from the town centre and Metro.

Adrian Ringrose, Interserve's Chief Executive, commented, "We have built a good relationship with the college through the bidding process and have now made a solid start on construction. This major project further strengthens our ties with education in Sandwell, as we are currently also in the early stages of construction in the 280 million Building Schools for the Future programme signed with the Metropolitan Borough Council in August."

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For further information please contact:

Giles Scott 0118 960 2307

Head of Corporate Communications

Elizabeth Morley / Tom Roberts 020 7379 5151 Maitland

About Interserve

Interserve's vision is to be the Trusted Partner of all our stakeholders. We are a services, maintenance and building group operating in the public and private sectors in the UK and internationally. We offer advice, design, construction and facilities management services for society's infrastructure and provide a range of plant and equipment in specialist fields. Interserve is based in the UK and is a FTSE 250 company. It has revenue of 1.8 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide. Website: www.interserve.com.