MORGAN Sindall Construction has announced it has started work on two early years nurseries worth a combined total of £4 million for North Lanarkshire Council.
Cumbernauld Village Family Learning Centre and Forgewood Family Learning Centre will both provide early learning and childcare for babies and children aged up to five.
Morgan Sindall was appointed as main contractor through hub South West. Funding for the project has come partly from the Scottish Government as part of a commitment to double the provision of free early learning and childcare in Scotland to 1,140 hours.
Located on Kinloch Drive in Motherwell, Forgewood Family Learning Centre will provide 93 nursery places. Cumbernauld Village Family Learning Centre is being built on the site of the former Cumbernauld Primary School and will provide 40 nursery places.
Designs for both projects feature a single-storey building with separate playrooms. There will also be a parents room. office space and a large outdoor play space. Landscaping works will be carried out by planting wild meadows and grass areas around the playground.
Both nurseries will have a new car park, while bike racks will be installed to encourage greener modes of transport.
Morgan Sindall said designs for each of the new builds include the use of eco-friendly construction materials, with the main buildings being made from timber; a ‘quick-to-build’ insulating material which reduces heating loss and associated energy requirements. Solar panels have also been installed to the roofs.
The majority of the supply chain comprises local contractors from the Glasgow and North Lanarkshire areas.
As a gift to pupils, Morgan Sindall has equipped both nurseries with high-vis jackets and hard hats to provide resources for playtime and aid learning.
The projects are due to hand over in late 2021.
Stuart Parker, MD for Morgan Sindall Construction in Scotland, said, “We are really pleased to be working in partnership with hub South West to build these new nurseries for North Lanarkshire Council. Together, we’ve helped the local authority to deliver vital additional early years capacity, building six similar schemes over the last two years, worth a combined £10 million and providing more than 350 nursery and early years places.
“With sustainable design choices, such as using timber and solar panels, we’ve minimised the embodied and operational carbon footprint of these nurseries. We have strong relationships with the local supply chain and look forward to delivering these projects for the end of the year.”
