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Image of the team at the Torquay Academy topping out event

Morgan Sindall Construction celebrates topping out at £1.4 million Torquay Academy development

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Construction work has reached a major milestone in the £1.4 million development to construct teaching facilities at Torquay Academy in Devon.

The second phase of significant development works to Torquay Academy is being delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction.

Torquay Academy’s principal and pupils were invited to join a traditional topping out ceremony held by Morgan Sindall Construction’s project team, who celebrated reaching the highest point in the new building’s structure. Guests were then given a tour of the site.

The project is being delivered on behalf of Torbay Council in partnership with TDA, an award-winning provider of business and property services across the South West. It will enable the construction of a new classroom block which includes six new classrooms and three dry changing rooms.

Torquay Academy is a non-selective secondary school with a current student capacity of 1,400 pupils. During the first phase of construction works in 2017, Morgan Sindall Construction refurbished two classrooms into state-of-the-art science labs.

The new three-storey building will be constructed from steel framing systems with lightweight internal partitions. The external façade will feature smooth-face brickwork and the upper floors will be clad in fibre cement rainscreen cladding.

Glazed curtain walling will also span the entire length of the new building, linking into the existing school.

The project is expected to complete in August 2018.

Nigel Whelan, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction’s South West team, said: “We’re thrilled to have reached this milestone in the development of Torquay Academy, which we hope will be a fantastic addition to the campus.
“Torquay Academy is widely-recognised as a first-class school where pupils can develop and reach their full potential and the new building will create an outstanding learning environment that both pupils and teachers will benefit from for years to come.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with Torbay Council, TDA and the school to deliver this unique facility later this summer.”
Clare Talbot, schools capital and planning manager, TDA, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress being made on this project. TDA will continue to work with Torquay Academy and Morgan Sindall to ensure a successful outcome, which supports the learning and experience of the children and young people across Torbay.”
Principal at Torquay Academy, Steve Margetts, said: “We are looking forward to the additional classrooms being ready for use in September. They will support the outstanding teaching and learning that takes place within the school.”
  • For more information about this news release please contact Steph Bocking at Influential on 0151 239 5000 or email bocking@thisisinfluential.com