GRAHAM Secures £80m Alkerden Academy Contract

Northern Irish construction giant, GRAHAM has been appointed by Eastern Quarry Limited (EQL) to lead the construction of the £80 million Alkerden Academy in Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent. This ambitious project will create one of the largest educational facilities in the county, accommodating over 2,200 primary and secondary school pupils.

The 11.1-hectare site will house an 8-form entry secondary school, a 2-form entry primary school, a community sports hall, sports pitches, and associated car parking and access roads.

Construction work is already underway, with the project scheduled for completion in July 2026. A single-phase construction approach will be adopted to minimise disruption.

The design of Alkerden Academy prioritises sustainability, aiming to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and adhering to BIM Level 2 standards. This commitment to sustainable construction ensures that the facility will be both environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.

Ian Rickwood, Chief Executive, Henley Investment Management, said: "The new Alkerden Academy, a major education hub and community sports facility, is at the heart of our plans for this development.  We are on site and delivering this all-through school, putting in place vital infrastructure and amenities, to support local residents and new communities that will make Whitecliffe their home. Working with our partners we are bringing forward new villages and facilitating the delivery of 6,250 homes in Ebbsfleet Garden City."


Pat O'Hare, Regional Director at GRAHAM, said: "Alkerden Academy is a key component of the Whitecliffe development, providing significant educational and recreational benefits to the Ebbsfleet Valley community. Our team is dedicated to delivering a facility that not only meets the highest standards of sustainability but also provides an enriching environment for students and the community. This project demonstrates our capability to manage complex developments, and we look forward to working closely with Eastern Quarry Limited and the consultancy team to bring this vision to fruition."

Alkerden Village itself will have approximately 1,700 homes and a market centre, featuring a supermarket, gym and the new all-through school. The market centre at Alkerden Village is being delivered by Henley Investment Management.  In addition, a Chartway Partnerships Group, the South-East development and partnership firm, working together with Henley Investment Management have also recently completed on a Contract to delivery 162 homes in Alkerden Village, including a mix of affordable and purpose-built rental properties.

Henley Camland is the master developer of Whitecliffe, a c.660-acre former quarry within the wider Ebbsfleet Garden City, consisting of three villages (Alkerden, Ashmere and Castle Hill). They have masterplanned the site and are delivering enabling works and supporting infrastructure across the site, facilitating the delivery of 6,250 homes in total.

Alkerden Village is less than 10-minutes by Public Transport from Ebbsfleet International, with direct train links into Stratford International and London St Pancras in less than 20-minutes. Alkerden Village is also minutes from Bluewater shopping centre with the new Fastrack bus service connecting residents to the surrounding area.