College's major concern over Raac discovery

The college library is being supported with scaffolding

Leaders at Cornwall and Devon's only education establishment found to have defective concrete, known as Raac, have said it has caused a "major concern".

Work is under way at Petroc College's Barnstaple campus in north Devon to make the library building safe, after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was discovered in February.

It was also identified in a hall at the same time and fixed "as a priority".

The library facilities have been moved to a different part of the college while work continues to make its permanent building safe.

The school's library has been closed and moved for safety

Ahead of the start of the school year nearly 150 schools in England were told to shut buildings made with the material, unless they put in place safety measures.

Bill Blythe, deputy vice principal of Petroc College, said: "Anything that would put students and staff potentially at risk is a major concern so immediately on finding that there could be Raac we took the step to evacuate these areas.

He said the material "has a risk that if water gets through to the supporting beam that it could then come down on us".

Mr Blythe explained the hall had been fixed and reopened in August.

"What we've done on structural engineers' advice is put in a complete timber and a frame, so effectively the Raac is no longer supporting the roof," he said.

The college also has a campus in Tiverton, with higher and further education courses, along with the largest sixth form in north Devon.

There are currently no other known cases of Raac in schools or other public buildings in Devon and Cornwall but many authorities are carrying out checks.