Published on:
14
March 2007
Clackmannanshire Council's ambitious plans to replace the county's three secondary schools reached a significant milestone today when the project achieved Financial Close.
This important point concludes the procurement phase of the £60 million plus project and means the project now formally enters the construction stage.
Council leader Margaret Paterson said: "I am delighted that after months of hard work behind the scenes we are now a step closer to providing state of the art schools and community facilities for the people of Clackmannanshire.
"The new schools are going to be bigger and better than those originally planned and that is thanks to the extensive consultation with staff, pupils, local communities and councillors who have all made a huge contribution to the process."
The new facilities have been designed to enhance each pupil's learning experience whilst providing a safe and secure environment for everyone involved in the schools. When built the schools will provide much needed state of the art facilities that will serve both students and their communities for many years to come.
The new schools will have a larger floor space than had been originally planned, taking into account changes suggested during the consultation process.
Each of the schools will boast generous assembly halls, staff rooms, performance areas equipped to a theatre-standard and dance studios. The sports facilities will also be extensive with games halls, four badminton courts and artificial pitches. Lornshill will also feature a 400m six lane running track, two grass pitches and the two existing artificial pitches and floodlighting, all of which will be open to the public during the evenings and weekends.
The schools will be equipped with the most up to date IT equipment, including interactive white boards, which will be procured by the Council in time for the schools opening.
Clackmannanshire Schools Education Partnership was named as Preferred Bidder last year.
As spokesperson for CSEP said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council in realising its objective to provide the very best education for young people and the best facilities for the communities in the area."
Director of Services to People Dave Jones added: "We had anticipated reaching financial close before now, but I can reassure local residents that the new schools will still open as planned within the next two years.
"My thanks go to every member of staff who has been involved in getting us to this stage, but there is more hard work ahead."
Bilfinger Berger BOT, Ogilvie Construction and Amey Business Services are partners in the Clackmannanshire Schools Education Partnership, while Glasgow-based 3D are the architects for the scheme.
Building work is planned to start on site within a matter of days. Work on the new Alloa Academy, incorporating Fairfield Secondary Special School, is due to be completed in October 2008. Work on the new Alva Academy building is due to be completed in December 2008. While phase one of the new Lornshill Academy is scheduled to open in March 2009.