Willmott Dixon to Construct £46m New Bramhall High School in Stockport
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £46 million contract by the Department for Education (DfE) to rebuild Bramhall High School in Stockport, with construction set to commence next month.
The project, designed by Sheppard Robson, involves the creation of a new three-storey school building spanning 9,252 square metres. It will cater to 11- to 16-year-old students and include specialist facilities for pupils with special educational needs. Additionally, a retained single-storey block will be remodelled, while six existing blocks will be demolished once the new building is completed.
Maintaining the school’s operation throughout the construction period presents a significant challenge. To address this, Willmott Dixon has collaborated closely with the DfE, Bramhall High School, and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council since May 2025 during an extended preconstruction phase, ensuring that work proceeds smoothly within an active school environment.
External improvements will feature new sports facilities, car parking, fencing, and both hard and soft landscaping. The completed building will incorporate low-carbon technologies such as photovoltaic panels, ground source heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging points.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2026, with the new school building expected to be ready by August 2028 for the start of the academic year. The overall site completion is planned for September 2029.
Mike Walmsley, North West Operations Director at Willmott Dixon, stated: “We’re delighted to be delivering the new Bramhall High School and to be playing a part in creating an excellent new learning environment for pupils. Bramhall will be rebuilt around a school that stays open every single day of the programme. Sequencing the new building, the demolition of six blocks and the external works so that teaching is never interrupted is the discipline that will define this project, and it is the reason the DfE and the school brought us in more than a year before we start on site.”
He added: “This is our third major Department for Education appointment in the North West inside twelve months, and our third recent project in Stockport. That continuity gives us a local supply chain and a local workforce we can draw on from day one, rather than building both from scratch.”
Paul Williams, Headteacher of Bramhall High School, commented: “This rebuild is a transformative moment in our school’s history. Working with the Department for Education and Willmott Dixon, we are creating a state-of-the-art school that reflects the ambition, resilience and excellence that define Bramhall High School. After a challenging period due to RAAC, this project marks a bold new chapter, one that will benefit students for decades to come.”
