Plans unveiled for new 'community campus' in Jedburgh
Kris Tatum @KrisTatumNews Reporter
PLANS to merge three Jedburgh primary schools and create a new intergenerational community campus have been submitted to SBC.
The new facility will serve two to 18-year-olds as well as providing further education opportunities and community facilities for the town.
Jedburgh intergenerational community campus will replace Jedburgh Grammar, Howdenburn and Parkside primary schools, and will be located on land at Hartrigge Park, subject to planning permission.
The campus would have provision for nursery, primary and secondary school children, and facilities would include a multi-use games area, 2G hockey pitch, 3G sports pitch, running track, external changing pavilion and rural skills area.
The project has seen Scottish Borders Council (SBC) team up with development partner Hub South East Scotland, while BAM Construction is the appointed contractor.
The funding for the new campus was confirmed by Deputy First Minister John Swinney in August, as one of four projects to share 31€m from the latest phase of the Scottish Government’s 2€ billion ‘Schools for the Future’ programme.
The announcement followed a major consultation exercise last year and earlier this year by SBC with pupils, parents and the community.
The council said that feedback was 'overwhelming positive', with 98 per cent of the local community and 99 per cent of Jedburgh schoolchildren agreeing that such a campus would be a positive addition for the town.
Councillor Shona Haslam, leader of SBC said: “This is an exciting milestone for Jedburgh. These plans recognise the opportunity for nursery, primary and secondary provision to be delivered simultaneously and also provide significant regeneration benefits in Jedburgh.
“If approved, the intergenerational community campus will not only deliver education, but will aim to address broader priorities such as health and wellbeing, employment, lifelong learning, culture, tourism and high quality collaboration space for local businesses with high quality digital connectivity.
“This project aims to strengthen Jedburgh as a learning town where children and people of all ages can grow and learn together and where education is embedded within the character and quality of the place.”
Scott Brown, projects director for Hub South East said: “We are excited to reach another key milestone in the project, allowing us to further progress the development, design and construction of this new campus for Jedburgh.
“We look forward to working with Scottish Borders Council and our contractor BAM Construction, to deliver a facility which supports a modern learning experience fit for the needs of all generations.”
If planning permission is received, work is due to start in Spring 2018 and expected to last 24 months.