Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Surrey County Council for the £23m project to build a new home for Hopescourt School in Walton-on-Thames.

This will be Surrey’s flagship Net Zero Carbon Special Free School and plays a crucial role in Surrey’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital Programme. When complete in Spring 2026, it will offer specialist school places for 200 autistic pupils aged 4-19 years as well as those with communication and interaction needs, supporting Surrey County Council’s commitment to inclusive education.

Hopescourt School opened on a temporary site in West Molesey in September this year after two years of planning and development in a partnership between Surrey County Council and Bourne Education Trust with Freemantles School in Woking, and the Department for Education Regions Group.

Procured under the Southern Construction Framework, Willmott Dixon will build a permanent home for the school that will be ‘Net Zero Carbon in Operation’ (NZiO). The appointment follows a series of similar education projects secured this year with the same objective.

Other recent NZiO examples include the Bridgend College redevelopment, a new campus for Wigan & Leigh College, and St Lawrence SEND School in Sleaford. The company was also recently appointed to create Oxfordshire County Council’s new net zero head office in Oxford, and its pipeline of Passivhaus, net zero carbon, and BREEAM outstanding projects is worth over £1.4bn.

Willmott Dixon is working with HNW Architects on the new school, which includes specialised teaching and learning environments tailored for sensory and interaction needs, with features that go beyond the traditional classroom setup. The new facility will offer opportunities for outdoor learning, music, and various enriching activities, creating an inclusive space where each child can thrive and supporting the school’s ethos of “pause, breathe, think and flourish.”

Richard Poulter, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon in the South:

“This new school represents a crucial investment in our community, offering children with additional needs a dedicated environment where they can thrive. We are proud to support a project that will have such a positive, lasting impact on families in the area.”

James Wright, SCF’s Senior Framework Manager, said: “We are excited to see Hopescourt School progress, and are proud to support Surrey County Council and Willmott Dixon in delivering this flagship project that will create an inclusive educational environment for all.”

Alex Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Bourne Education Trust:

“We are delighted that the development of Hopescourt School’s permanent site is underway, and I know that our students, their families and our staff will be excited to see the progress of the new school building over the forthcoming months. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Surrey County Council, Willmott Dixon and with Freemantles School in Woking, and to seeing our shared vision for the permanent Hopescourt School site become a reality for children with special educational needs and disabilities.”