After a long campaign, plans have officially been lodged for new primary schools in Newmains.
The relocation of Newmains and St Brigid’s primary schools and Newmains Family Centre onto one shared campus with associated car parking and sports facilities, including a floodlit all-weather pitch, is set to be on a site to the north of the current St Brigid’s Primary in Park Drive.
The design statement on the council’s website states: “The project developed as a result of the need to modernise the existing teaching and learning facilities for both schools.
“Due to their close geographical position, there is an opportunity to co-locate both schools in a new shared campus facility.
“The consultation process uncovered a number of factors that have helped to shape the proposed design.
“A key consideration for both schools is the ability to retain their own identity within the shared campus.”
The Newmains schools joint campus was finally given the green light in May 2018 following
a meeting of the council’s
education committee.
The committee voted unanimously for the joint campus between Newmains and St Brigid’s primary schools following the conclusion of a consultation on the subject.
Consultations with pupils and parents took place before and after the Covid-19 pandemic began.
The first round of workshops took place in February and early March with staff and pupils and both parent councils.
Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the second round of consultations with parents took place remotely, using Microsoft Teams.
As well as the inside of the new campus, pupils will have access on the west side of the playground to an 11-a-side enclosed, all-weather sports pitch with an adjacent grass area that can be used as a games field and on sports days.
There will also be a Forest School, providing a new habitat as well as improving the biodiversity of the campus.
The parking area will have a total of 111 spaces.
The plans are available to view by logging on to the North Lanarkshire Council planning website.
