Surgo awarded Digital Facility contract
Adding to its extensive tally of further education projects, Surgo Construction (Surgo), one of the region’s leading independent main contractors, has commenced work on a second key multi-million-pound project for Middlesbrough College.
Last September Surgo’s team commenced work on a design and build contract to extend the college’s STEM Centre at its Middlehaven campus by 1100 m2. The project, which received £2.7m of DfE funding, is being constructed to enable the college to deliver a higher level of technical training, as the sole deliverer of Institute of Technology (IoT) accredited courses in the Tees Valley.
This latest project to get underway will see Surgo deliver the T Levels Digital Centre (Digital Centre), a new build 1600m2 three-storey facility now under construction on the College’s Middlesbrough Campus.
The Digital Centre which is part of a £3.2m Dfe funded campus wide T-Level initiative also including a new Construction Workshop and expanded catering facilities, will become home to specialist teaching spaces for media studies including subjects such TV and film production as well as computer games.
Designed by Bond Bryan Architects, the building will be clad with a contemporary metal envelope and will include several elements of specialised mechanical and electrical installations to meet the needs of the intense building services provision associated with the digital subjects which are to be taught.
In 2019, Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen and Middlesbrough Mayor, Andy Preston spoke about the start of a journey to transform Middlesbrough into THE digital city in the UK and according to Surgo’s director, Martin Blight they are delighted to be supporting Middlesbrough College in playing its part in this endeavour.
Speaking of this latest contract to get underway, director, Martin Blight said:
“We are delighted to have this further opportunity to work on behalf of Middlesbrough College as it seeks to continually improve its facilities to provide its students with the optimum learning experience.
“Our extensive experience of delivering high quality education facilities will come to the fore as we continue to work within the strict guidelines brought in to keep construction going and site operatives safe throughout the coronavirus pandemic. I am confident that work on both schemes will meet scheduled deadlines to complete in time for the new academic year in September 2021. “
Speaking of exciting times ahead for the college and its students, Zoe Lewis, principal and chief executive of Middlesbrough College, said: “T Levels are exciting, high quality courses that give students the technical skills most in demand in the jobs market, and provide routes into employment, apprenticeships or further study.
“We’ve invested significantly to make sure that as the only college in the Tees Valley to offer T Levels, we have first class facilities in which students will learn.
“The new Digital Centre will give students the opportunity to work in industry-leading programming suites, cyber labs, special effects rooms, games design suites, video editing suites, and a dedicated film and television studio. I am delighted that Surgo’s team has now commenced work and look forward to seeing the completed building.”
The college confirmed that a full programme of courses will launch in September as work on the new facilities is completed.
Surgo won both contracts via NEPO.