CONSTRUCTION work is underway on a new £24 million primary school in Irvine being built to Passivhaus standards.
North Ayrshire provost Anthea Dickson carried out the official groundbreaking duties to signal the start of construction at Montgomerie Park. She was joined by guests from North Ayrshire Council, development partner hub South West, contractor Robertson Construction and a variety of stakeholders.
The school will comprise of 12 classrooms, early learning facilities, a gym incorporating flexible performance areas, and dining facilities along with outdoor learning spaces including a 7-a-side all weather pitch.
The building – which will be the first Passivhaus school in the region – will accommodate 342 pupils, plus an early learning and childcare facility.
Elliot Robertson, CEO of Robertson Group, said, “By selecting Passivhaus standards for the new school, North Ayrshire Council is illustrating its commitment to meet net zero carbon targets and to reducing the running costs of the school when it is in operation.
“The official start on site today is the culmination of excellent collaboration between us, hub South West, and the design team. The school is set to be an integral part of the community, and we look forward to being part of that community throughout the build and delivering a quality building that will improve attainment for pupils.”
Dr Willie Mackie, chair of hub South West, added, “We are firmly focused on championing sustainability across all our projects in the south west of Scotland and it is fantastic to see our experienced team enabling the first Passivhaus project for North Ayrshire Council. We have delivered over £187 million of projects to date for the authority with a focus on delivering maximum economic value to the local community and this remains a core focus of our organisation.”
