Planning has been granted for a new £12m extension at Bedford Academy.

The development will provide much needed additional space which will serve not only the school’s needs but the community alike.

Part of HEART Academies Trust, Bedford Academy has a reputation for promoting high standards and good relationships with all members of the local community to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential. The school’s vision – being community minded, driven, and aspirational – underpins everything they do.

The GSS-designed extension, constructed by Ashe Construction and project managed by Pick Everard, operating through Perfect Circle, will see 16 state-of-the-art classrooms alongside changing rooms, a dining area and community café. The building will be highly efficient and has been designed to be Net Zero Carbon in operation.

The extension has been designed to be extremely versatile with multi-use spaces, enabling it to be used as a community hub outside of school learning hours. Some of the multi-use rooms will have two points of internal access, depending on the time of day and user group, and a landscaped external terrace area will enable some classrooms to be opened for secure access to the outdoors.

The community will be able to enjoy the new space for football, basketball and badminton clubs, faith groups and dance schools, as well as opportunities for individuals to hire the facilities for their own use.

Chris Chapman, Partner at GSS, said, “The building and materials have been carefully chosen to provide a modern and contemporary addition to Bedford Academy. We have listened to students, staff and local community groups to ensure that we have designed a modern sustainable building set in the heart of the local community, and we are looking forward to seeing it progress in the future.”

Sean Conneely, Director of Project Management at Pick Everard, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity to provide much-needed additional pupil places and facilities for the children of Bedford and the local community. Working collaboratively with the design and construction team, we have engaged with user groups to influence the design, to deliver a Net Zero Carbon in Operation sustainable building ready for use in September 2025.”

We have been appointed as Architects and Lead Designers by Ashe Construction alongside multi-disciplinary firm, Pick Everard, and the project is expected to be completed in August 2025. GSS have extensive experience in the Education sector, including mixed-use school and community hub spaces such as the Milton Keynes East Primary School and Community Hub development.