A major expansion to a Gedling school went more than £1 million over its budget after asbestos was found in parts of older buildings being remodelled.
Carlton le Willows Academy in Gedling has undergone major construction works since 2020 to meet the increasing demand for local school spaces, creating an extra 300 spaces for students.
The expansion, which has already been completed in October 2024, involved a new two-storey building with 20 new classrooms and facilities.
But new Nottinghamshire County Council reports reveal the final project costs went £1,180,053 over budget.
This comes after a “large amount” of asbestos was uncovered in the original building, which had to be safely removed.
Asbestos poses little risk if it is intact, but can release dangerous fibres when the material is disturbed. It was commonly used in construction up until the 1980s and was fully banned in the UK in 1999.
Once broken up and released into the air, the material can cause heart and lung problems if inhaled, and all forms of asbestos can cause cancer.
The council report reads: “This [the extra building work] was due to inappropriate construction methods used in the original building which were not uncovered until some demolition and strip out works had been completed, and a large amount of asbestos which again, was not revealed until a substantial amount of stripping out had been completed.
“In addition to the amount of asbestos to be reasonably anticipated in a building such as this, previous contractors had left asbestos on-site from previous works.”
The county council asked the academy to admit more year seven pupils from September 2022, a request which was made before the project’s completion.
Additional classroom space was needed, costing an extra £200,000.
The further increase in funding, which has now been approved, brings the total cost of the school’s expansion to £15 million.
In addition to new classrooms, the expansion provides a state-of-the-art performance space, a dining hall, office space and a new main reception which has united the previously split site by linking the East and West buildings.
The second and final phase of the development, which was carried out entirely by Clegg Construction, includes a conversion of the previous dining area and assembly hall into additional teaching space.
A new car park with just under 100 spaces has also been constructed as part of the project.
Carlton le Willows Academy has been contacted for comment.
