Leiston’s new shared Fire and Police Station is now fully operational. This is the tenth shared community fire and police facility in Suffolk with stations already operating in Newmarket, Saxmundham, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Ixworth, Elmswell, Debenham, Framlingham and Clare. There are plans for further joint stations in Beccles and Stowmarket along with some further sharing opportunities of functions in Ipswich.

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner and Suffolk County Councillor, Richard Rout, formally opened the shared base in King George’s Ave, Leiston on Wednesday 5th December.

The new blue-light base was designed by Concertus and built by SEH French Ltd. The works involved updating the existing station, providing modern welfare facilities for Police and Fire personnel, new office accommodation, improved IT provision and enhancements to reduce the impact on the environment. As part of the central government’s drive for closer emergency services collaboration, financial support for the project was secured from the Home Office.

Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner said: “The opening of this tenth joint Fire and Police Station in Suffolk is very good news for the county. There are considerable financial benefits as well as significant operational improvements that this collaboration between our two organisations delivers for people and businesses across the county. I am already looking forward to the next wave of shared facilities being developed, as well as joint initiatives in areas such as community safety and vehicle servicing. Suffolk continues to lead the way nationally in blue light collaboration.”

Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Protection Councillor Richard Rout said: “We have already seen great benefits in developing ‘blue light’ stations with our partners in the police and the ambulance services in Suffolk. In addition to the 10 stations shared with the Constabulary, we also share a further 5 with the ambulance service. Our partnership saves on the cost of running multiple buildings and enables emergency services to work closely together in supporting the community they serve. The sharing of facilities has also opened up further opportunities to collaborate in areas of service delivery, improving efficiencies and engagement with members of the public.”

This new shared station will help both organisations become even more cost effective and will enable police and fire to work much more closely together in the town. Money from the sale of the former police station in Leiston will be pumped back into the Constabulary budget.

The Limes Primary Academy opened its doors to its pupils in September 2018. The Limes is one of Suffolk’s newest primary schools and is part of the REAch2 Academy Trust, the largest primary-only academy trust in the country.

The school is situated at the heart of the Woods Meadow development and serves the community of Oulton and surrounding area. The Limes offers 60 places in Reception and will continue to grow year on year with a new intake of Reception pupils. Over time, the school will have places for 420 children. There is also a purpose-built pre-school on site offering nursery places for children aged 3 and above.

The Grand Opening was held on Tuesday 27th November with REAch2 Chief Executive, Sir Steve Lancashire, officially opening the school during a ceremony attended by local headteachers, parents, representatives from the Department for Education, members of the local community and representatives from Suffolk County Council, Concertus Design & Property Consultants and Barnes Construction, the teams responsible for delivering the school.

Following an introduction and welcome from the headteacher, Mrs Kate Cracknell, the pupils from The Limes performed the REAch2 Song and recited a poem they wrote collectively for the occasion about their school and how they are going to help it grow. The school was then officially opened by Sir Steve Lancashire and guests were offered the opportunity to join staff for guided tours of the building and its facilities.

Headteacher Kate Cracknell said: “The Grand Opening is a chance to celebrate together and to thank all of those who have worked so hard in the construction and opening of our wonderful new school. My team and I now look forward to developing an outstanding provision, ‘Growing Learners for Life’ as a hub of this growing community.”

Sir Steve Lancashire, Founder and CEO of REACh2 said: “I am absolutely delighted to be formally opening The Limes today, and my huge congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to create this beautiful new school. At REAch2, we are passionate about every single one of our academies providing children with exceptional opportunities to learn, and I have every confidence that Kate Cracknell and her team are already delivering exactly that, here at The Limes and will do for years to come.”

Councillor Gordon Jones, Cabinet Member for Health, Well Being and Children’s Services, congratulated the teams involved in establishing the school, thanking Waveney District Council, in particular, for its help and support throughout the project. Cllr Jones said: “This school has come into being because of strong partnerships and a shared aim to provide the best education we can for children and young people in our county. We look forward to working with Reach2 as the school grows to meet the needs of this new community.”

We recently celebrated the successful completion of the new Pines Primary School in Red Lodge, Suffolk with a ribbon-cutting opening ceremony. The project for Suffolk County Council includes reception, year one and year two places, with pupils having already joined the school at the beginning of this academic year. It also includes the Pine Cones Pre-School, which offers childcare for two to five year olds, alongside the existing one-form entry primary school. The new school was successfully completed on time and on budget at £4.9 million, providing first-class facilities for 210 pupils in the Red Lodge community.

The brand new school was opened by a guest of honour, Tony Mitton. The award-winning children’s author, whose poetry is irresistible to children and adults alike, cut the ribbon at the ceremony. Saul Humphrey, Managing Director of Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure in the East region, said: “The journey from concept to completion is a rewarding experience. It is even more pleasing when you recognise the extent to which that project will impact the local community. We are incredibly proud to hand over the completed building, at the start of the new academic year to the Pines’ first cohort of pupils. We are confident that the new facilities will not only support the Red Lodge community with its immediate requirements but create a legacy that will be of benefit for generations to come.”

Councillor Gordon Jones, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills, said: “The Pines school is a fantastic new facility. This is a very proud moment for everyone – staff, governors, pupils, parents, carers and, of course, Suffolk County Council. The school makes a significant investment in education in the west of the county. Children will benefit from first class facilities that will help them reach their full potential.”

Headteacher at the Pines, Kerry Darby, said: “We are delighted with the outcome of our new school. The completed state-of-the-art building has surpassed our expectations and is allowing us to deliver an enriching and engaging curriculum for all our current and future ‘Pines Pioneers’. We are proud to open what we believe will become an outstanding educational facility and are honoured to be joined by members of the Red Lodge and Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure communities for our special opening ceremony.”

Project partners on the scheme included design and property consultants, Concertus. Andrew Rowe, Managing Director at Concertus Design & Property Consultants said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the official opening of the Pines Primary School, the team’s collaborative working goes hand in hand with the project’s success. A big thank you to everyone for their hard work.”

On Friday 26^th October 2018, the new Eye Library celebrated a topping out ceremony, where Councillor Robert Whiting and Councillor Guy McGregor marked the special occasion.

David Garrard, Associate at Concertus Design & Property Consultants Ltd, said: “It is great to see the turnout for the topping out ceremony. There are many people involved in making this project happen, working in collaboration has been a real testament and so far it’s looking great.”

Cllr Robert Whiting, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Property, said: “Now the main building work is complete, Suffolk Libraries and Suffolk County Council can move on with plans to fit out the new modern interior for Eye Library, which will offer space for library services, community activities, events and a meeting space for people to hire. We are really pleased with the building work, it has been designed in a style which is sympathetic with neighbouring buildings in Eye.”

Tony Brown, Chair of Suffolk Libraries, said: “We’re all very excited to see the new library taking shape in Eye. Once open, I’m sure this new and modern library facility will provide many benefits and opportunities for everyone in the local community.”

A year long construction by Ipswich construction company, Brooks and Wood Ltd, at the Royal Horticultural Society’s only East Anglian garden was officially handed over yesterday.

Hyde Hall in Rettendon near Chelmsford was bequeathed to the Society by the Robinson family and has been steadily turned into the attraction it has become today drawing visitors from all over the country and world.

The £4.5m project consisted of a new restaurant, activity barn and separate Learning Centre enabling the RHS to provide teaching spaces purposely designed for horticultural use.

This is the latest of three major projects constructed by Brooks & Wood for the RHS since 2008. Concertus Design & Property Consultants provided architectural, landscape, mechanical and electrical design for delivery of this prestigious design. Initial design concepts were provided by Cullinan Studios, a London based design company.

A new Early Years Centre at Yoxford & Peasenhall Primary School, providing a much-needed learning facility for young children from the surrounding local communities, has been officially opened.

Yoxford & Peasenhall Primary School is part of the Consortium Multi Academy Trust and under the management of EYFS Head of Service, Caroline Rankin, the centre will deliver excellent facilities for Nursery and EYFS children. It will also offer an opportunity for collaborative working with families in the community, as well as a training facility for early years practitioners in other local settings and further afield.

Caroline Rankin said: “Whilst the centre will be staffed by highly qualified and experienced early years practitioners, we also look forward to supporting higher education schemes such as apprenticeships, school-centred initial teacher training and a post-graduate certificate in education placements.”

As well as designing the centre and project managing the build, Concertus Design & Property Consultants has worked alongside Suffolk County Council and the Academy from the early stages, to ensure the vision of a purpose-built facility that enabled children to learn, develop and grow in a bright, interesting, caring and safe place, became a reality.

Gail Jerman, Academy Head of the school said: “I am delighted to see the project come to fruition, the centre will provide a fabulous environment for pupils to develop independence, confidence, flexibility and positive attitudes to life learning which starts in the very earliest stages of their academic life.”

The Early Years Centre opens to children on Monday 16th April 2018.

Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury St Edmunds has been shortlisted under the Design through Innovation and Community Benefit categories at this year’s RICS East of England Awards.

With the capacity to accommodate up to 1,400 students, Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury St Edmunds comprises three key buildings: The Heart, Teaching Block 1 and the Skyliner sports centre.

With functionality in mind, the academy was designed to provide flexibility, so spaces could be adapted to meet growth and school curriculum changes. Admin and infrastructure areas support ease of movement through the school and attention has also been given to maximising community use, with construction including amenities to support access, service zoning and security needs.

Built by Barnes Construction, the £25 million project was completed in December 2016. As well as being the architect for the school and project managing the build on behalf of the client Suffolk County Council, Concertus also provided quantity surveying, estates management services and building services design.

The category winners and Project of the Year winner will be announced at the RICS East of England Awards Ceremony and Dinner on 10th May at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds.

To read more about the project and view a video of the finished school masterplan click here.