Special needs school plans thrown into doubt as contractors go into administration

The contractor behind a long-delayed special needs school has gone into administration just after weeks after the site was opened. Woodlands Meed School in Burgess Hill was finally opened for the start of the school year after continual delays, having been started in 2021. But, with work outstanding on the building, contractor ISG has now filed for administration, throwing the next steps of the project into the air.

West Sussex County Council said it was “extremely disappointed” at the news and had suspended the second phase of works at the college following the administration. A spokesman said: “We will be working with the college and the administrators of ISG, when appointed, to ensure the work is completed with as little disruption to pupils and staff at the college. “Once an administrator has been appointed, we will seek to complete the works as soon as possible, which may be with another contractor.



“We are in the very early stages of dealing with this developing situation and will provide updates when we know more details. “We want to assure the college, staff and parents that the site will remain safe and secure.” The new school building in Birchwood Grove, Burgess Hill, was due to be ready in August 2023 but opened a year later than planned in time for the start of the 2024/25 school year.

Work began to build the multimillion-pound college in 2021 and includes a hydrotherapy pool, outside learning and play areas and an outside gym. ISG, which was also in the middle of other government projects, collapsed into administration this afternoon with 2,400 people made redundant across the UK. Around 200 employees will initially be kept on to assist the administrators in winding down the business .

ISG is involved in 69 central government projects totalling more than £1 billion, including work on prisons for the Ministry of Justice, data analysts Barbour ABI said. A spokesman for the government said: “We have implemented our detailed contingency plans and affected departments are working to ensure sites are safe and secure.”.