Construction of the new Ardrossan Community Campus has reached a major milestone as pupils, politicians and esteemed guests took part in the official steel signing ceremony.
Provost Anthea Dickson was the special guest and penned her signature on one of the last pieces of steel to be erected at the site.
As well as the Provost, the steel was signed by pupils from Ardrossan Academy, Winton Primary School, and the other cluster primary schools, Councillor Tony Gurney, Leader of North Ayrshire Council, and a range of partners, including construction contractors Morgan Sindall and SCAPE Scotland, who all had a part in the planning and bringing the plans for the campus to fruition.
The piece of steel will be situated near the Early Years Centre.
The new campus is the first phase of the Ardrossan Coastal quarter plans which will see the derelict site completely regenerated. As well as the state-of-the-art school campus - which will include early years, primary and secondary learners, public library and swimming pools – the vision for the wider site also includes the provision of new housing and commercial uses. This transformational redevelopment brings significant investment into a former vacant and derelict site within one of North Ayrshire’s most deprived communities.
The new campus is expected to be occupied by August 2028 and the steel signing marks a new chapter in the delivery of the development.
Councillor Eleanor Collier, Cabinet Member for Economy and Green Environment, said: “We are delighted to be marking this latest milestone with a steel signing ceremony. We are all excited for the future of this site and, of course, what this new Campus will bring to young people and future generations.
“The steel signing is symbolic and it’s nice that those signatures will be there through time as thousands of young people start and finish their schooling here. This is a huge investment into the future of our young people and wider community.
“Not only are we creating a Community Campus, but also a range of other regeneration projects which will transform this derelict site and provide a major boost for the whole area. We look forward to works progressing.”
Stuart Parker, Managing Director of Morgan Sindall Construction in Scotland, said: "It's been fantastic to celebrate this steel signing milestone. We’ve built a strong working relationship with North Ayrshire Council, SCAPE Scotland, design consultants and our supply chain, and it’s good to see the project taking shape. We’re looking forward to seeing the work progress over the coming months.
"Being part of the local community is also an important part of the project. We’ve been able to support a range of local initiatives, from community health checks with The Healthy Employee, to giving young people an insight into the world of work through our World of Work Tasters, as well as supporting organisations including CHAP and CEIS Ayrshire. We want the project to have a positive impact both during construction and beyond."
Gary Meechan, Operations Director for SCAPE Scotland, said: “It was a pleasure to join our partners, clients, and stakeholders as we celebrated the official steel signing ceremony. Ardrossan Community Campus is a significant project for SCAPE Scotland and part of the increasing number of projects being delivered by our construction delivery partners across the Ayrshire region.
The positive impact of the project on the local community is already being felt due to North Ayrshire Council’s commitment to community value. We have enjoyed being part of that success with the work of our Community Legacy Programme and SCAPE Reinvest initiative allowing us to give back to Ardrossan and the surrounding areas – something that has always been central to how we deliver our frameworks."
