Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Community campus is detailed in new report
A REPORT detailing how the new East End Community Campus in Dundee will aim to transform the area when it replaces two outdated schools is set to be considered.
Work on the new campus, described by Dundee City Council leader Councillor John Alexander as “the most important investment in the city’s future”, is set to start next month with a target construction completion date of July 2025.
The community campus, which will replace Braeview Academy and Craigie High School, will house a music and drama centre suitable for city-wide school and community use.
There will also be a cafe and library that will be accessible during the day for combined community and school use.
Sport facilities, which include floodlit all-weather pitches, a fitness suite and a dance studio in addition to the standard gym and games hall will also be available for use during the day to help create a fully-integrated community feel.
Mr Alexander said: “It will be more than a school, it will be a focus for the whole community and will be accessible and inclusive.
“This campus will help improve the future prospects of young people while assisting the community to thrive.
“The campus is the most important investment in the city’s future.
“Its delivery will allow us
to improve educational and community facilities, which will tackle significant challenges of poverty.”
The report outlines the impact of significant and ongoing construction inflation and supply chain restrictions on the project’s budget.
The policy and resources committee will hear on Monday that, since the council’s revised capital plan was published in November, the price of the project has increased from £86 million to a projection of £101m.
The report explains that the response to Covid-19, Brexit and the effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have led to a significant increase in construction inflation continuing, driving shortages in the supply of materials and labour combined with the rise in cost of living.
Councillors will be informed that in response to the rising cost, senior officers have reviewed the tender submission in detail with the contractor and this review concluded that the tender meets the best value possible based on the current market conditions.
Scottish Government contributions towards the new community campus are likely to increase significantly from the £31m originally envisaged to more
than £40m, and a verbal update on the final position will be provided at committee.
Children and families convener Stewart Hunter said: “This is a golden opportunity to transform educational and community facilities and replace two outdated buildings with a campus fit for the years ahead.
“We have come such a long way in the design of the campus, with pupils playing an important role on the project board. The campus will provide an inspiring educational environment carefully designed to support learning developments in the longer term.”
The committee will also be told that, as part of the 365 Schools Community Hub approach, officers are now working closely alongside Neighbourhood Services, Leisure and Culture Dundee and community groups to carry out a review of existing community and school facilities, to redesign and develop a joint model to deliver city priorities and to consider possible rationalisation of clusters of buildings in communities.
The tender to appoint Robertson Construction Tayside to build the new campus will be considered by the policy and resources committee at the meeting on Monday.