Located just south of Gourock town centre, the school building was constructed directly adjacent to its predecessor on the grounds of the former blaes pitches and playing fields which remained open for the duration of the construction programme until staff and pupils were able to gain access in 2018.
Inverclyde Council’s school estate programme set forth a mandate to improve all primary and secondary schools in the region in order to improve the learning environment for pupils and teaching staff, either constructing new buildings or refurbishing existing premises.
Items such as flexibility, sustainability and quality were key factors in determining the commercial viability of new build vs refurb. Given the extent of facilities that required to be enhanced and added for an increasing school St Ninian’s school population, new build construction was chosen following a blueprint from recent school completions that placed emphasis on classroom sizes and flexible learning areas; a focused approach to energy performance and BREEAM accordance; and optimisation of activity spaces to create a more diverse learning environment.
A total of thirteen classrooms were created over two stories each positioned alongside pupil learning hubs, “outdoor” learning spaces set within the school building that opens out onto a large playground area and landscaping is used for planting, ecology and outdoor teaching. A sensory garden and a wetland study area also form additional layers to the landscaping strategy.
Arc-Tech’s list of M&E Services that supported the main construction programme, led by CCG (Scotland), includes:
Client:
Inverclyde Council/ hub West Scotland
Arc-Tech Services:
£1.9m
Contract Value:
£9 million
