College plans to buiuld house and demolish it

9:50am Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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Centre's scheme will teach all aspects of construction, including deconstruction

College plans to build house and demolish it STUDENTS are building a brand-new house... and then they're going to knock it down again.

They are constructing the home from scratch at Weymouth College's new Dorset Construction Centre at Poundbury in Dorchester.

But they will then demolish the building - which will be inside the centre, under a large Dutch-style barn.

John Firth, who is programme area manager for construction and allied trades at Weymouth College, said: "It's a unique project that will give students of all backgrounds access to the latest thinking in modern construction techniques."

Students taking courses in construction at the centre, currently being built in Middle Farm Way, will work through every stage of a new build home.

This will include the design and planning permission, construction, installation of services and, eventually, demolition and recycling of materials.

The two-year construction and demolition project will also be open to professionals and mature students who want to brush up on their skills, or learn about new techniques. Construction of the house is to begin in early 2009 and will take two years to complete.

The Poundbury house comes under a range of new facilities and courses being offered by Weymouth College in construction and related subjects.

The college says it is addressing the national construction skills shortage by providing the new centre and courses at the Poundbury site.

It says that courses in modern, sustainable building methods, stonemasonry and conservation will be some of the only courses of their kind available nationwide.

There will also be short, specialist and professional development courses for mature students and professionals.

Mr Firth said: "Weymouth will be one of the only colleges in the country offering courses in sustainable construction - something that will become a legal requirement in a few years time - so we really are ahead of our time here.

We'll also be able to take on more than 100 extra pupils, adding to the 300 or so in the faculty at the moment."

The college's plumbing, decorating and carpentry courses will remain at its Cranford Avenue site in Weymouth.

The stonemasonry and construction division will be re-housed at the new Dorset Construction Centre in Poundbury, with courses starting in September 2008.

Pupils can also learn about stonemasonry and the particular properties of Portland stone.

Pupils undertaking the foundation degree in applied architecture and stonemasonry conservation will be able to visit quarries on Portland and witness at first hand Portland stone extraction and handling.