Contractor Appointed for Altrincham School Expansion

Tilbury Douglas selected to lead early phases of North Cestrian School's expansion, aiming to create 300 new places.

North Cestrian School undergoing expansion work.
AI

North Cestrian School undergoing expansion work.

Trafford Council has appointed Tilbury Douglas to begin the expansion of North Cestrian School in Altrincham, a project set to create 300 additional secondary school places.

A significant step has been taken in a scheme designed to meet the growing demand for secondary school places in Altrincham. Trafford Council has appointed UK Regional Contractor Tilbury Douglas to undertake the initial stages of the proposed expansion of North Cestrian School.
Following the Council's acquisition of the former Loreto Preparatory School site in July, work has progressed with the Trafford’s Education team and Hamblin Education Trust. The adjacent site will facilitate the creation of up to 300 new school places.
Tilbury Douglas, a prominent building, fit-out, engineering, and infrastructure company, will manage the Pre Contract Services Agreement (PCSA). Their role involves guiding the project through the design phase and into construction.
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"I am delighted that the project has moved on swiftly with the appointment of Tilbury Douglas on the PCSA phase of the scheme. This is an excellent project which will help make sure more of our local children can go to an Altrincham school and get them the best start in life - one of our main corporate priorities."

Cllr George Devlin · Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People
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"Thank you to everyone who is working so hard on this scheme. We are totally committed to the education of our young people and this scheme will mean more secondary school places in Altrincham. This is majorly important and our schools are, quite rightly, extremely popular."

Cllr Tom Ross · Leader of Trafford Council
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"From the beginning, we have shared with Trafford Council the vision of ensuring that the former Loreto Prep School site should remain as a site for the education of Altrincham children. As North Cestrian School begins its 10th year as a free school we look forward to working with the Council during this exciting phase of growth so that all children from Altrincham can attend a local and highly successful school."

Tim Gartside · CEO of Hamblin Education Trust
This initiative follows Trafford Council's success in securing an additional 76 school places in the Sale and Altrincham areas for 2026, with a further 85 places created across other high schools in Trafford.
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"We are delighted to be working with Trafford Council and Hamblin Education Trust on this important project for Altrincham. With extensive experience delivering new and improved schools across the North West and nationally, we understand what it takes to create high-quality learning environments that meet the needs of pupils, staff and local communities. During the PCSA phase, we will bring that experience to the project, working closely with the Council, Trust and design team to develop a thoughtful, deliverable solution that creates much-needed secondary school places and supports the school’s next chapter of growth."

Kabir Salihi · Regional Director, North West, Tilbury Douglas
Based on information from the official source: Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council (08/10/2026)