It’s with great pride that we announce the completion of our Spring Lane project since having started last year. It has truly been an incredible journey that has resulted in the completion of a unique and special project.
Spring Lane is a higher education facility that we completed on behalf of our client the East Kent College Group. The facility focuses on providing the education of land-based studies such as agriculture, animal management and horticulture.
Accomplishing Spring Lane primarily required the demolition of previous teaching blocks which were no longer fit for use. This allowed for works to commence on a single-story building with a focus on sustainability whilst maintaining a design with a feel that fits with the rest of the grounds. Additionally, the existing reception building was also refurbished and changing facilities were added to a repurposed barn.
Spring Lane has proven to be unique in multiple ways. To begin with, the education provided on site is specialised. Additionally, the building itself was created to establish interconnectivity between the outdoor and indoor spaces to allow the grounds to capture the essence of the nature of its education. The building has an incorporated green roof, improving biodiversity net gain by supporting insect and bird life. OSB wall finishes and open ceilings give an outdoor feel to the classrooms providing a link to the student’s studies.
We were able to deliver the needs of this project despite all obstacles. It was vital that we focused on the needs of the students and staff whilst remaining in budget and this was successfully done. This was achieved under a very tight programme as it was imperative that works were completed in time for the arrival of incoming students. The active presence of students and animals on site also needed to be considered. This required strategic site management for the safety of those involved.
Spring Lane could have only been successfully achieved, on time and in budget, with a strong team. We are so thankful to have been able to work with a group that had great consideration for the project’s best interests. This allowed us to overcome issues with foresight. The team was forward thinking, able to highlight issues and action solutions. The concept of teamwork was excellently executed from start to finish.
Well done to all those involved:
EKC , Lee Evans Partnership, Abbotts Construction, Wilson and Partners, Quinn Ross, Goddard Planning
Ultimately, we’re proud that this project benefits the students of Spring Lane as they now have the opportunity to learn on new grounds that are a representation of the value of their studies. The facility now better serves students and their educational needs. Having a new and workable space should improve the students and staffs overall mental wellbeing.
We hope that the new and improved facilities will attract more students to this area of study resulting in the wider community benefitting from educated students to help look after our fragile natural environment.
Thank you to all those who made the completion of Spring Lane possible.
“Thank you to all those who made the completion of Spring Lane possible. We are simply over the moon with the results of the Spring Lane project. As Seb states the senior team and curriculum teams are very pleased with the outcomes and can’t wait to get teaching started in early September. I have yet to make it over myself but look forward to seeing the campus in its full glory new week. A great team effort – many thanks for all your support B&M, LEP and Abbotts” – Dan Shelley, Chief Infrastructure and Transformation Officer
