The Brief:

Hull City Council and leading businesses in the region wanted to create a pioneering education facility within Hull city centre.

The aim of the £9.8 million Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) is to teach young people skills in digital technology and mechatronics – a combination of Information Technology (IT) and engineering – inspiring them to become the next generation of engineers and digital technicians.

The UTC – a first for Hull – was a direct delivery by Esteem following other recent successful works to build Aspire Academy in the city as opposed to the utilisation of a regional framework.

The Solution:

Esteem received a project brief and outline drawings, which was developed with Sewell Construction and the design teams to tailor the bespoke layout, structure and budget to meet requirements.

Early engagement with the Ron Dearing UTC Trust Board and Education Funding Agency (EFA) was arranged to determine what the UTC needed and how it would operate, and the building layout was tailored to suit the unique learning opportunities and environment.

Plans were put in place to ensure regular engagement meetings continued throughout the scheme, with progress tours held as the project progressed.

The best possible environmental concepts and lifecycle opportunities were needed for the building, ensuring it remained in day one quality for years to come.

Facilities Management was considered as part of the design team and their input resulted in a design which is easy to maintain, while keeping lifecycle and running costs to a minimum.

Environmental concepts, including rainwater harvesting and photo-voltaic panels, were incorporated into the design.

The Delivery:

The four-storey Ron Dearing UTC is close to Hull New Theatre, which was also undergoing multi-million remodelling and refurbishment work while the UTC was being built.

The high footfall area was also residential and careful consideration had to be given to noise, dust, access, egress and delivery times to ensure minimum disruption to homes and businesses, while tight timescales needed to be met to deliver the programme in time for the new academic school year.

Security was put in place to manage access and egress to the site.

Fortnightly newsletters were issued to key stakeholders throughout the scheme to keep them informed of progress and the programme of work, which included temporary road closures.

The Results:

• The Ron Dearing UTC was delivered on time and on budget to meet financial budget requirements in the education sector.

• 82% spend in the HU postcode area and 91% Yorkshire-wide

• Zero reportable accidents

• 50 apprentices on site throughout the project