Go-ahead for £12m deal to build three nurseries

THREE new nurseries can be built in Glasgow after councillors approved a £12.3 million contract for the work.

The Tollcross, Carntyne and Govanhill early learning facilities are being developed to help the city council meet the Scottish Government’s commitment to provide 1140 hours of statutory childcare.

City Building has been awarded the contract, with funding for the projects coming from the Scottish Government.

Costs could be reduced if the Covid-19 vaccination programme allows restrictions on construction to lift, a council officer said.

Councillors also agreed to two 10-year leases, with Buddies, a charity, to provide early years services at the Southbrae Centre and private company Dornal Childcare operating from the Donald Dewar Centre on Dornal Avenue.

A fourth building, identical to the other three, is also planned at Broomhill.

Councillor Chris Cunningham, city convener for education, skills and early years, said: “We are delighted to be announcing the plans to build three more early years and childcare centres. These facilities will complement our nursery provision across the city and offer flexibility for parents and carers.”

Glasgow received around £44m from the Scottish Government to be used on additional infrastructure to meet the 1140 hours entitlement. More than £23m of that figure will be spent on new-build facilities.

The early learning and childcare are available to three and four-year-olds and some two-year-olds.

A council officer said: “The tenders we received are in excess of our pre-tender estimates, the main reason for that is because of Covid.

“The pre-tender estimates were prepared before Covid at the very start of the design process. However, the world has changed significantly since these were prepared.”

He added social distancing, supply chain issues and Brexit were all reasons for the increased costs.

“If the vaccination programme gets to that point where there’s relaxation of these restrictions, the costs could potentially come down for these nurseries,” he added.

Permission was also granted for a lease to Buddies to provide nursery and after-school services from Jordanhill’s Southbrae Centre.