Work on the new £21 million Broadford Primary School and community campus on Skye has reached the foundation stage after construction began in May.
The 2,541 square metre development is due to be completed in winter 2027 and will provide a new primary school, nursery and community facilities for Broadford and the wider South Skye area.
The project forms part of almost £50 million being invested by The Highland Council in new and improved facilities across Skye.
Work has already included setting up the site compound, phased utility diversions, bulk excavation and preparation of the ground, with foundations now getting underway.
The new campus will have six primary classrooms and two nursery classrooms alongside a library, canteen, dining room and games hall.
A Highland Council Service Point and High Life Highland library will also be incorporated into the building, making the campus a wider community hub rather than simply a school.
The project team has had to adapt the construction programme to the particular difficulties of building on an island, where accommodation, labour and supplies can become constrained, especially during the busy summer months.
Plans were changed from a standard timber frame to a closed panel timber kit which arrives on Skye with more of the work already completed in the factory.
That reduces the amount of work required on site, the number of people needed during construction and the time spent working at height.
The new campus is being built to Passivhaus standard and will include solar panels, while the building has been positioned to make better use of natural sunlight and reduce its energy requirements.
Local contractors and subcontractors are already working on the development, while a Trainee Quantity Surveyor has also been recruited to the project team.
Ian MacDonald, Senior Operations Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction in Scotland, said:
“Reaching the foundation stage brings us another step closer to providing a new learning and community facility for Broadford and the wider South Skye area.
“Broadford Primary School is an important part of the wider investment being made in Skye, and we are pleased to be working alongside The Highland Council to deliver a facility that will benefit the community.
“Building on the island comes with unique logistical challenges, so adapting our approach has been an important part of keeping the project moving.
“At the same time, we are focused on creating opportunities for local people and businesses and building strong relationships with the community as the project progresses.”
Highland Council education committee chair Councillor John Finlayson said:
“I am delighted to see contractors on site and work progressing on a project which is going to bring enormous benefits for young people and the wider community of Broadford and south Skye.
“It’s exciting to see the fantastic educational and sporting facilities taking shape.”
Another new school is also expected to get underway in Dunvegan, while work around Broadford includes development of the sports pitch beside the new school.
For pupils at the existing Broadford Primary School directly opposite the construction site, the transformation will be particularly easy to follow as their new school gradually rises from the ground.
