Construction handover achieved on Blindwells and Craighall schools

Two new primary schools have officially been handed over to East Lothian Council.

We appointed Hub South East to deliver new schools at Blindwells and Craighall with main contractor Balfour Beatty leading the project. The buildings were developed from the council’s Strategic Asset and Capital Plan Management team initial design concepts by JM Architects and Hub South East, who also worked on Wallyford Learning Campus and Wallyford Primary School.

In March, the council announced it had appointed Gemma-Rose Lansdown and Jamie Wilson as Head Teachers for Blindwells Primary School and Craighall Primary School respectively. Enrolment arrangements for both schools were confirmed in the same month and children are due to attend from August.

The schools are needed to provide additional early learning and childcare and primary education as a result of housing development in Craighall and Blindwells areas. Works will now continue to the internal areas to establish the spaces ready for opening in August.

Cabinet member for Education and Children’s and Family Services Councillor Fiona Dugdale said: “Developing two schools at the same time is a major undertaking and I am delighted that we have met our schedule for handover and can now progress with the finishing touches to prepare the schools for children in August.

“Both schools provide focal points for their communities and demonstrate our commitment to providing the best education for our children and investing in high-quality learning spaces. I have been fortunate to tour the sites during their construction and can’t wait to go back and see them in the new term when they are up and running.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the teams from our council strategic assets and education services, Hub South East and Balfour Beatty who have brought these projects from initial plans through to the completed buildings we see today.”

 Andrew Thornton, Hub South East’s Project Director, said: “Continuing our successful partnership, we’re delighted to have handed over East Lothian Council’s latest investment in its education estate. The new Blindwells and Craighall Primary Schools are going to make a real positive difference to the learner journeys of the young people in these growing communities when they open in the new school term.

“The designs for these new schools have been developed using Passivhaus principles, so pupils and staff will not only benefit from modern new learning spaces, the buildings themselves will be energy efficient and will assist our Client in meeting progressive Scottish Government environmental targets, ensuring a lasting legacy beyond construction.”

Atholl McKay, Portfolio Director at Balfour Beatty, said: “We are proud to celebrate the successful completion of the new Blindwells and Craighall Primary Schools, which will serve East Lothian’s growing communities for generations to come.

“These modern, state-of-the-art schools are the result of a collaborative effort between Balfour Beatty, East Lothian Council and Hub South East, and represent a positive legacy that will extend well beyond the classroom.”

Combined project costs for both schools are estimated at £49.6 million and are predominately funded through Section 75 developer contributions.