Work has started on a transformational extension at a sixth form college in Grimsby. Lincolnshire and Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, plans to complete the £1.1m build by the end of summer, in time for the new term.
Cambridge Park Academy is on Cromwell Road in Grimsby and its sixth form college for special educational needs (SEN) pupils will almost double in size once the work is complete.
The project is part of the expansion of North East Lincolnshire Council’s sufficiency strategy for special educational needs and alternative provision. Once work completes, the council owned building will accommodate up to 28 pupils aged between 14 and 19 years old and 24 staff.
The project will see a new single-storey extension created alongside 12 car parking spaces with electric vehicle chargers, a drop off zone and a new entrance road. The building will have 88 solar panels on the roof, air source heat pumps and underfloor heating.
As part of the build, Hobson & Porter is also carrying out landscaping, which includes specialist outdoor educational play equipment.
Joe Booth, business development director from Hobson & Porter, said: “We already have several live sites in Grimsby including two new primary schools and the new state-of-the-art youth centre in Grimsby – known as Horizon Youth Zone, which we are building for national charity OnSide, in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council, which is contributing to the development as part of the Greater Grimsby Town Deal.
“We are delighted to start work on another meaningful build for the people of Grimsby that will make a big difference to the lives of many families that have children with special educational needs. It’s a project that will be transformational for Cambridge Park Academy and will significantly reduce the distance that local children currently have to travel to get the education they deserve.”
Hobson & Porter is also building two new primary schools at Scartho and Waltham for North East Lincolnshire Council. Both are set to open in September 2025 and will be run by Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust.
Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “It’s hugely important that every child, regardless of their needs, has access to a good quality education, without having to travel elsewhere.
“This expansion is fantastic to see and is the culmination of a substantial piece of work between the local authority and Humber Education Trust, and I’m really happy to see it bearing fruit.”
Chief executive officer for Humber Education Trust, Rachel Wilkes, said: “Partnership working and inclusion are the cornerstones of our work as a Trust. This expansion will enable more pupils to attend and remain at Cambridge Park Academy, having their needs met in their local area.”
