Good progress with new school provision in Wick

23rd July 2014

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The main construction contract for the new £15.4M Noss Primary School in Wick has been signed. The site, on the existing North Primary School campus, is already cleared and ready for the foundation work to begin. The main contractor is Miller Construction.

The new 387 pupil school, with nursery provision and community facilities, is due to be completed in July 2015 and opened to pupils in August 2015. Thereafter the existing North Primary School building will be demolished to make way for a multi-use games area, netball area and car park.

When open, Noss Primary school will replace the existing North and Hillhead Primary Schools.

South of the river, site clearance for the new £48.5 million Wick Community Campus will begin shortly. The new campus will replace Wick High School, Pulteneytown Academy Primary School, South Primary School and the existing community swimming pool and library facilities. The new campus is due to be available to pupils by the start of the 2016/17 academic session.

The project, which is part of the 3rd phase of Scotland's Schools for the Future programme, is co-funded by the Scottish Government and The Highland Council.

Wick Councillor Gail Ross, Vice Chair of the Council's Education, Children and Adult Services Committee said: "It's great news that everything is in place and work on Noss Primary can really get underway. The new school is going to be very much the heart of the local community so I am delighted that as well as an excellent environment for the young people to learn in, the school will have community facilities for everyone to use and enjoy.

"With Noss Primary and the campus under construction,it’s a very exciting time for education in Wick and shows a significant investment by the Council into the educational needs and aspirations of young people and for the skilled and dedicated staff and parents that support them."

Angus Macfarlane, chief executive of hub North Scotland, said: "Reaching contract close on the Noss Primary School in Wick very much signals the next exciting stage of development for the project and we’re delighted at the progress that is currently being made.

“As an organisation, we strive to ensure that the local supply chain is embraced at each stage of the project and we will continue to work closely with Miller Construction to ensure that this happens. Through this commitment, we will aim to help support significant investment in the local economy during the construction period. However in the long term, the greatest benefit will of course be the provision of a fantastic school to serve the community for decades to come."

Miller construction was acquired by The Galliford Try subsidiary earlier in July 2014 and will build the new Inverness Royal Academy for £35.4m and Noss Primary School in Wick for £15.4m.

The two contracts are part of a £200m programme of new school building work awarded to Miller Construction last October. Project client is Hub North Scotland, the public/private development company working in partnership with The Highland Council.

Galliford Try bought Miller Group’s construction business for £16.57m. Miller Construction's order book of £1.4bn doubles Galliford Try’s order book at a stroke to £2.8bn.