Cranbourne school Basingstoke on 'final list' to remove RAAC

Cranbourne school, in Wessex Close, is part of a ‘final list’ which will see 119 schools and colleges have one or more buildings rebuilt or refurbished through the School Rebuilding Programme to remove RAAC, which the Government has called ‘more extensive or complex’.

As previously reported, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found to be present in the secondary school in 2023, with a list naming the school published in September.

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Temporary works were undertaken by Hampshire County Council in September 2023 to one section of the building to make sure it was safe, with another area taken out of use at the beginning of last year.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Nothing is more important to me than the safety of every child and member of staff in school.

“We will continue to work closely with schools and colleges as we take the next step to permanently remove RAAC from affected buildings.

“I want to thank all schools, colleges and local authorities who have worked tirelessly with the department to ensure all children remain in face-to-face education.”

A further 110 schools and colleges will benefit from grant funding to remove RAAC from their buildings, with the works ‘typically smaller in scale’ whilst five schools and colleges, with support from the Department of Education, have ‘alternative arrangements in place to address the removal of RAAC’.

RAAC is a lightweight, bubbly form of concrete that is usually found on roofs and occasionally on walls and floors but is known to be weak and less durable.

The material was favoured in construction projects because of its lightweight thermal properties.

Schools, hospitals, and various other public buildings from the 1950s to the mid-1990s were built using the material.