Wernick Buildings - Small is beautiful in Cornwall

“The three new Sure Start Children’s Centre projects built in the villages around Penzance would not have been achievable with conventional build. Modular build was the only option”. So stated Darren Willcocks, who had oversight of the developments for Truro based project management company Ward Williams Associates. The sites in St Erth, Marazion and Pendeen are on primary school property and so there were overriding health and safety and childcare implications. These restricted Wernick Buildings, the design and build company, to a five day period for all 21 factory built units delivered to the three sites while the schools were still open.
Access to the sites, by the various contractors involved in the project, could only be gained across adjacent fields which further complicated deliveries. However, both Darren and Mark Fenton, the contract manager at Wernick Buildings’ Truro office, felt that despite all these unavoidable constraints the project went very well with modular build cutting down time on-site. Excellent liaison between local farmers and the schools also helped the project to proceed on schedule.
In some respects these centres are probably unique amongst Sure Start initiatives because they serve a scattered rural population. Just one centre would not have been convenient for many of the families to use, because of limited bus services to and from the villages around Penzance, so a decision was made by Cornwall County Council to build smaller units offering core services to each area. The Pendeen site was subject to planning restraints that ensured that the design of the centre had a traditional finish that complimented its surroundings.
Jane Patching manages three sites - Marazion, St Erth and St Hillary, which already had a Sure Start Centre. “We offer 91 places across the three sites for children between two and five years of age. At Marazion we also offer six baby places so that site takes a slightly different age range”. In addition to the services for local children the centres have a community room offering courses in parenting skills, child minder support, benefit and job centre advice.
“We have had a very enthusiastic response from the parents who use the facilities”, said Jane. “The centres are new and bright – two of the villages just didn’t have anything like this before”.
Darren Willcocks is similarly happy with the completed project. “The quality is good”, he confirmed, “and we finished the three sites with a week to spare on the construction programme”.
Photo caption 1. The Sure Start Children’s Centre at Pendeen. The design of the building had to be in keeping with its traditional Cornish surroundings.
Photo caption 2. The well equipped interior of the Sure Start Children’s Centre at Pendeen.

Email: jeff.bownds@wernick.co.uk