Edinburgh schools review could impact rest of UK

Construction faults which closed a number of schools in Edinburgh could have wider implications for buildings across the UK, according to the council leader who commissioned an inquiry into the debacle.

In April, 17 Edinburgh schools closed due to building defects and concerns over structural issues. The schools, which were 10 years old, were originally built by Miller Construction under a £360m PPP contract with the Edinburgh Schools Partnership.

Following the closures, Edinburgh City Council leader Andrew Burns launched an independent inquiry into the fiasco, led by architect and procurement expert John Cole, which is expected to conclude in December.

Speaking this week, Burns said that following the outcome of the report at the end of the year, he expected it to have a knock-on effect on a number of similar buildings not just in Scotland, but in the UK.

He said: “I think this is more of a construction issue, not a contract one, which is why John Cole’s independent investigation in Edinburgh, I think, will have implications much wider beyond Edinburgh – probably for the whole of Scotland and the rest of the UK.”

He added: “The Scottish government has been very supportive, it is crucial to stress that we’ve kept both the Scottish and UK government concerned about the terms of reference of the independent inquiry.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Council told Construction Manager that Andrew Kerr, chief executive of the council, shared the view that the outcome of the report would spread south.

The spokesperson said: “Andrew Kerr has said it might raise concerns everywhere and eventually become a national issue and is something UK ministers will show interest in.”

The schools were originally built by Miller Construction, together with Amey, as part of the ESP consortium contract. In 2001 ESP won the £360m deal to design, build and maintain the 17 schools for 30 years. Miller Construction was acquired by Galliford Try in 2014.

Among the defects originally uncovered that prompted the closures was the discovery of missing wall ties, including header ties that connect the outer brickwork to the structural frame. Following repairs the schools were reopened last week.