EFA moves away from standardisation
9 May 2012
The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has sought to allay fears over the use of standard designs in its Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).
Speaking at a conference, chief executive Peter Lauener said that even if the new programme includes some standardisation, there will be a need to make modifications.“Architects, designers and contractors will have a role to play in each individual project,” he added.
Lauener’s views were supported by Mike Green, capital programme director at the EFA. “We need help from local people,” said Green. “Some things will be done centrally and some things will be done locally. Finding that balance will be the challenge for me and my team.”
He also dismissed suggestions that he believes that all buildings should “come on the back of an Ikea lorry”, arguing that where something works, he will push for it to be done again.
The James Review into school building had called for much greater standardisation in design, and fears had grown that the PSBP would insist on all schools using one of 10-12 designs.
Also speaking at the BFE conference, Jayne Hettle, of contractor Morgan Sindall, urged the EFA to engage more with the private sector. “The rumours and uncertainty [surrounding the PSBP] are causing concerns in the market,” she said.
