Willmott Dixon has secured a £4.6 million contract to create a new home for Mill Green School, a co-educational day special school and college for pupils aged 11 – 19. Working with Aedas, architect, M&E consultants Beverley Clifton Morris and engineers Mott MacDonald, Willmott Dixon will begin on site this month to build the single storey school on the site of the former Parr High School, with completion in August 2014.

Mill Green School is the first of four schools Willmott Dixon will deliver in the region after securing the Education Funding Agency (EFA) North West Batch Two contract last year following a competitive process. Other school projects that are part of the batch are Foxfield School, Redbridge and Bank View Schools and Aigburth School.

This latest project continues a long-term legacy of education facilities in St Helens for Willmott Dixon, with recently built Hope Academy and Cowley Language College. In the case of Hope Academy, it remains one of the very few academies to achieve the sustainable rating of BREEAM outstanding, the highest possible benchmark.

Willmott Dixon’s managing director for the North West Anthony Dillon, said, “The whole team are delighted to be back in St Helens doing what we do best, creating fantastic learning environments for generations to come. We have a very successful relationship with St Helens and as with our previous projects, our focus will be on ensuring local companies benefit from the project through our local spend commitment.”

Council Leader Barrie Grunewald said: “The new school will enhance our special needs offer in the borough adding to our mix of schools catering for all needs.”