Leading contractor, GRAHAM, has achieved a significant milestone in the construction of Down High School in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, with the completion of the building’s highest point.
The £33m project is set to establish a cutting-edge educational campus, complete with a sports hall, physical education facilities, and sports fields, designed to accommodate up to 950 students.
GRAHAM has commenced the subsequent phase of construction, which involves completing the blockwork, screeding the floors, and ensuring the building is wind and water-tight in preparation for the high-quality internal fit-out. The project is anticipated to be completed in early summer 2025.
Paul Givan, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Education, visited the site earlier this year and was pleased to see the new school taking shape. He said: “Once completed, this impressive new building will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the pupils, teachers, governors, community and wider South Down. I commend the hard work undertaken by everyone involved over decades, to get this project to this exciting stage and I look forward to seeing the new school open.”
The development project is a labour of love for the team, many of whom are local residents and some alumni of Down High School.
Gary Holmes, Regional Managing Director for GRAHAM Building North, said: “GRAHAM is proud to deliver a best-in-class education campus which will greatly enhance learning facilities for future generations growing up in Downpatrick.
“We have a proven track record of constructing exemplary education campuses across the UK. However, there’s no doubt that Down High School is a very special project for our site team, with many having attended the school as pupils. We look forward to progressing the next phase of construction as we target practical completion in summer 2025.”