When Loreto College ? a Catholic sixth form education facility in Hulme, Manchester ?? responded to an urgent requirement for additional lecture rooms for its growing number of science students, the over-riding criteria was the preservation of the college?s magnificent Horse Chestnut and Oak trees, the subject of a tree preservation order.

This created an unusual installation challenge for Portable Offices who were chosen to provide six new temporary lecture rooms to accommodate the science department while building expansion work is undertaken.

Tasked with avoiding any damage to the arboreal splendour that surrounds the college, the company situated the portable classrooms on eco-pads to avoid damaging the tree roots during the foundation process and to limit the environmental impact of the modular building on the environment.

Portable Offices? Manager, Ian Smith said: ?The college wanted to avoid the use of concrete or slabs as they want the area beneath the buildings to return to its former glory after the new building contract is completed. The eco-pads provide an ideal solution.? Needless to say the team rose to the challenge and no trees were cut or damaged during the installation.

Now, a state-of-the-art, warm, light, airy contemporary space provides a laboratory and lecture area to accommodate Loreto?s growing number of science students during their studies.

Just a few months ago, The Lords Science and Technology Committee announced that Britain was not producing enough science graduates with the skills needed by UK industry. Loreto has bucked this national trend with growing numbers of students taking science subjects and achieving high grades. This summer 22 physics students from Loreto visited the world famous CERN research centre in Switzerland.

Loreto College combines traditional moral values and ethics with high performing academic achievements. The college was recently judged in an Ofsted inspection to be ?outstanding? in every respect.

Established by Mary Ward, a sixteenth century Englishwoman, who founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the order of nuns who started the college in 1851, the nurturing of the trees has continued for many years and is core to the ethos of respect for all living things that is one of the cornerstones of college philosophy.

Facilities manager at Loreto College, Anne Carter, commented: ?We liked the environmentally caring approach of Portable Offices They were sympathetic to our environmental objectives and understood our need to preserve the integrity of our trees. Beyond that, the company was very responsive to our approach; they carried out effective site visits and provided us with opportunities to view the cabins.

?The installation process was amazing. They were well organised, highly professional and kept us informed every step of the way. The result was a quality product that met all of our criteria.?