Wates has been named main contractor for the construction of a £33m education campus and community sports facilities in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Work on site is expected to start in February 2017, subject to planning. The timetable envisages a planning application being submitted in December, once design work is completed.

The project is being led by Cumbria County Council, with backing from Britain’s Energy Coast, Copeland Community Fund, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd.

The campus will include new facilities for St Benedict’s Catholic High School and Mayfield Special School, bringing them together on the current St Benedict’s site.

Tony Shenton, business unit director for Wates Construction North West, said: “The partners leading the development of Campus Whitehaven share a vision to create a state-of-the-art centre for learning and sport, and Wates’ extensive experience in education positions us as the ideal contracting partner to take this forward.

“Wates’ growing presence in Cumbria has seen us launch a significant local economic benefits strategy to ensure that our work is a catalyst for the region’s economy. As such, we will now be working with local supply chain partners and training providers to generate training and employment opportunities throughout the build programme.”