Shropshire Star

Building contractor Pave Aways secures £5.1 million Shrewsbury School contract

A building contractor has secured the contract for a new £5.1 million girls’ house at one of the UK’s top independent schools.

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The new facilities for day and boarding students at Shrewsbury School will be the 12th scheme Pave Aways has completed at the co-educational school for 13 to 18-year-olds.

Other significant projects it has carried out at the school include the academic building Hodgson Hall, the Chatri Design Centre and the extension and refurbishment of the Barnes Theatre.

The new house will be the fifth house for female students and has been designed by Adrian James Architects, which was responsible for Hogdson Hall. It will provide single and communal bedrooms for students and staff accommodation with shared facilities including a house hall, kitchen and TV room. Work will start in early April with completion in the summer term of 2023.

Pave Aways, which is based in Knockin near Oswestry, will use its expertise in low carbon construction to deliver the highly sustainable blueprint, which includes a ‘fabric first’ highly insulated and airtight skin, plus a mechanical ventilation system, air source heat pumps and a photo voltaic panels to generate electricity.

Managing director Steven Owen said: “The new house is an exciting development in the evolution of Shrewsbury School and we’re delighted to have been trusted to build it.

“Our experience in building low or zero carbon facilities for schools, coupled with our pedigree in the education sector, has been key to securing this contract.

"Having delivered a series of these schemes in the past two years, including the first ever Passivhaus school in Mid Wales, has given us a strong foundation in the skills required and a supply chain that is well equipped to support us.”