OFF-SITE construction specialist Yorkon has won a contract to build a new £2.8 million adult education centre at its site in York for Lewisham Council.

The Portakabin subsidiary will manufacture the building at its plant in Huntington, then crane 39 steel-framed modules into position in less than a week ready for fitting out, significantly reducing the programme time.

Yorkon's work also includes demolition of several disused buildings on the site and completion of landscaping and car parking.

Due for completion in spring 2006, the new purpose-designed centre at Granville Park will regenerate a brownfield site and provide a range of facilities for the local community including a caf, food studies laboratory, workrooms for art, woodwork, upholstery and metalwork, an IT suite, general classrooms, and offices.

The building will also have a crche and an outdoor play area for children. The project managers are Mace.

Yorkon has a long history of delivering education buildings, from complete multi-storey schools to classroom extensions, and has recently launched a design for new school buildings in response to the Government's Building Schools for the Future initiative.

These plans have been developed in conjunction with Cartwright Pickard to maximise the benefits of off-site construction and introduce fresh, imaginative ideas to improve educational standards by providing inspirational facilities for staff, pupils and the wider community.

Updated: 11:00 Thursday, December 01, 2005