CONSTRUCTION work has got underway on a new state-of-the-art performance centre.

The Journal recently reported on Chipping Campden School receiving a £850,000 grant towards the centre from the Vistry Group, which includes Bovis Homes and Linden Homes, as part of its section 106 agreement with Gloucestershire County Council.

Now the centre has taken a step closer as work on the project, set to benefit the school and wider community, got underway recently.

Warwickshire based business Trendgrey is leading the construction of the new centre which will feature a spacious auditorium with retractable tiered seating for up to 340, allowing maximum flexibility of the space.

There will also be a fully equipped large dance and drama studio with fully sprung floors, dressing rooms/green rooms with showers, multi-functional spaces for classrooms or seminar rooms, refreshment and bar area and is promised to have excellent lighting, acoustics and technical equipment.

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The centre will become a dedicated area for the performing arts and will also offer the local community a new space for clubs and societies and the benefits of a wide ranging programme of live performances, cinema screenings, lectures, talks, seminars and exhibitions.

John Sanderson, principal at Chipping Campden School, said: "After eight years of careful planning, on top of the enormous challenge of the past few months, I am absolutely delighted that construction work begins.

"We’ve been able to go ahead with this project as a result of the expertise."

The school is still looking for funding for high-quality resources and equipment.

For more on the new centre, or to support it, visit https://perform.campden.school.