Willmott Dixon Begins Construction on £11.8m Garendon Primary School in Loughborough
Garendon Primary School CGI
Willmott Dixon has commenced work on Garendon Primary School, a new £11.8 million, 420-place facility for Leicestershire County Council located in west Loughborough. This project marks the first school to be built using a standardised design developed specifically by Willmott Dixon for the council, continuing a partnership that spans two decades.
The two-storey school, covering 2,089 square metres, is situated on William Railton Road within the Garendon Park housing development, positioned between Dishley and Hathern. The expansion of housing in this area has increased the need for additional school places. The building is scheduled for completion in July 2027, with the school opening to pupils that September.
The design strategy employed for Garendon aims to reduce design time, costs, and material waste by applying a refined, repeatable model across multiple school projects. Energy efficiency is a key focus, with the school featuring a 300 square metre photovoltaic array on its roof to contribute to powering the facility. The choice of building materials and construction quality has been carefully considered to ensure cost-effective and sustainable operation.
The steel-framed school was procured through the Major Construction Works Framework, managed by Pagabo on behalf of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, commented: “We have worked with Leicestershire County Council for two decades, and Garendon is the first school we are building to the standardised design we created specifically for the council. That design lets each new school start from what we learned on the last one, taking time and cost out of the process, which matters when demand for places in areas like west Loughborough is rising as fast as it is. Garendon will give 420 children a modern place to learn, and gives the council a repeatable model it can use again as the county grows.”
Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for children and families, Cllr Charles Pugsley, stated: “We have a growing county and our priority is making sure that new schools in Leicestershire are put in the right place. The start of work on Garendon Primary School by Willmott Dixon is a major milestone for this new community, and we’re looking forward to the school welcoming students.”
This project builds upon Willmott Dixon’s longstanding relationship with Leicestershire County Council, which has seen the delivery of multiple primary schools over the past 20 years. Notable examples include Hollycroft Primary School in Hinckley, Leicestershire’s first net zero carbon operational school, and Wellington Place Primary School in Market Harborough, a £9.3 million development that opened in September 2024.
During the construction of Garendon Primary School, Willmott Dixon plans to engage with local students and schools in the Loughborough area through initiatives such as apprenticeships, laptop donations, enrichment programmes, and mock interview workshops.
