College redevelopment on-time despite ‘batty’ campus resident!

15/09/2011

Students pictured on-site with Mansell's Kevin Spreyer, the College's Phil Waller, and Vice Principal Richard Hailstone at the controls!

Work on the final phase of the redevelopment at the College's Sixth Form Haywards Heath campus is now well underway, and College staff and building contractor Mansell are working hard to keep on schedule, despite the best efforts of one very special campus resident - Plecotus Auritus - otherwise known as a brown long-eared bat!

Due to a history of bat residence, the College was required to carry out a 'bat survey' before demolition could commence on all parts of the old College building, and after further evidence of bats was discovered during the survey, demolition of A and B blocks was postponed until the end of the breeding season. Whether the resident bat lives alone or with friends remains to be seen!

Mansell Project Manager on the site, Kevin Spreyer explained: "Mansell has been working closely with College staff to ensure the building work is completed on time, and with minimum impact on the students. We have had to revise the demolition schedule slightly, but we were still able to execute stage one of the demolition to accommodate the students' return to College after the summer. People may find it staggering that one little bat can effectively cause a 70 tonne piece of machinery to grind to a halt, but it is important they are protected."

Heavy machinery has been on site since the end of July, when the third phase of the £30m redevelopment plan got underway. This final phase, which is due for completion during the 2012/13 academic year, will see the addition of new facilities including: science laboratories; classrooms including maths and IT rooms; a music suite; learning resource and IT centre; four court sports hall; plus a new reception and food court area and significantly improved student social areas.

Vice Principal of the Haywards Heath campus, Richard Hailstone said: "We are delighted with the progress which has been made over the summer, and despite the presence of bats the demolition stage is due to be completed before the end of the year. Everyone has worked extremely hard to ensure that the project remains on-time. We are all very much looking forward to the next exciting stage of the project, when the new buildings begin to take shape."