Kier wins £57m Scottish school projects

Kier will deliver two state-of-the-art schools, one in Troon and the other in Ayr on behalf of hub South West Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s Scotland’s Schools for the Future Phase 3 programme.

Marr College in Troon will undergo an extensive refurbishment which will see a new three-storey wing built to the rear of the original Grabe B listed college as well as a new single-storey sports facility. The refurbishment will increase capacity to 1,360 pupils once work is complete in 2018.

A new school on the Craigie Estate in Ayr will become home to the new Ayr Academy which will initially cater for 1,000 pupils, with the potential for the numbers to increase to 1,300 at a later date. Kier was appointed by hub South West Scotland on behalf of South Ayrshire Council to complete the two projects.

Managing director of Kier Construction’s Scotland & north-east England business, Brian McQuade, said: “We will be working closely with the local council and hub South West Scotland to construct state-of-the-art education, teaching and sporting facilities, which will not only greatly enhance the lives of the students, but will also benefit everyone within the area by encouraging greater access to education, sports and community amenities.

“There is no doubt that these projects will provide a substantial boost to the local economy. The significant financial investment, combined with the employment opportunities that the developments will create for locally based suppliers and subcontractors, is great news for the people of South Ayrshire.”

Councillor Robin Reid, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance at South Ayrshire Council said: “We’re aiming to have both projects on site by next summer. The development at Marr College will be delivered in phases around normal school activities, with a completion date of early 2018 and at Ayr we’re aiming to deliver the new school and learning campus there for the middle of 2017.”