Wates lands £33m Isle of Wight College job

Wates Construction has secured a £32.8m contract to deliver main works for Isle of Wight College, via the Department for Education’s (DfE) £7bn schools construction framework.

Work started on 28 August, with completion scheduled for 26 June 2028, the DfE said in a 26 September contract notice.

Wates was appointed under a call-off from the DfE’s 2021 Construction Framework, which began in November 2021 and is set to expire in November 2025.

The contractor is on eight regional lots in the four-year deal, covering both new-build and refurbishment projects at educational facilities in England.

The framework is due to be replaced by the £15.4bn DfE 2025 Construction Framework, currently in procurement and expected to be awarded in early 2026 after a delayed launch.

The Isle of Wight job forms part of a wider strategic drive by the college to expand higher-level skills provision and create industry-standard learning environments.

According to its strategic plan for 2024-2030, the college is seeking to address skills gaps in engineering, health and social care, construction and the creative industries by investing in new facilities and upgraded teaching spaces.

Wates ranked fifth among DfE contractors by value of payments received in the 2024/25 financial year, securing work worth £135.2m.

The contractor trailed Bowmer & Kirkland, Bam, Kier and Tilbury Douglas in the department’s latest published figures.

Source: Gov.uk Contracts Finder/Isle of Wight College 2024-2030 Strategic Plan