Scottish Borders Council today (Tuesday 22 August) welcomed the announcement from the Scottish Government on the new intergenerational campus in Jedburgh.

The new facility will serve 2 to 18 year olds as well as providing further education opportunities.

The funding for the new campus was confirmed by Deputy First Minister John Swinney on a visit to Jedburgh Grammar today, as part of the fifth phase of the Scottish Government’s £1.8 billion ‘Schools for the Future’ programme.

Jedburgh intergenerational learning campus will replace Jedburgh Grammar, Howdenburn and Parkside primary schools, and is to be located in land at Hartrigge Park, subject to planning permission being granted. Work is due to start in Spring 2018 and is expected to last 18 to 24 months.

The project will see Scottish Borders Council (SBC) team up with development partner Hub South East Scotland, while BAM Construction have been announced as the appointed contractor.

A major consultation exercise took place last year and earlier this year, with pupils, parents and the wider community in Jedburgh providing their thoughts on the proposal.

The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, with 98 per cent of the local community and 99 per cent of Jedburgh schoolchildren agreeing that an intergenerational learning campus would be a positive addition for the town.

Councillor Carol Hamilton, SBC’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “Scottish Borders Council is delighted with the announcement of this exciting opportunity for the Jedburgh community.

“This not only provides a single learning space for 2-18 year olds, but will have potential to support learning opportunities for older learners and be a wider community resource as well.

“The existing provisions of the Grammar School and the two primary schools at Parkside and Howdenburn have served the community well.

“However, it became clear when we spoke to the community during extensive public consultations in 2016 and this year that there are a number of concerns about their ability to provide the education and learning experiences that the children and young people in Jedburgh require and need.

“We now have a unique and hugely exciting opportunity not only for Jedburgh’s children and young people, but for the whole community with the needs of all generations being catered for.

"We are delighted that the Scottish Government has agreed to fund this very exciting initiative by Scottish Borders Council."

“We now have a unique and hugely exciting opportunity not only for Jedburgh’s children and young people, but for the whole community with the needs of all generations being catered for.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We originally aimed to build or refurbish 55 schools across Scotland at the outset of the programme in 2009 and have now more than doubled that commitment.

“These new buildings will provide children and young people with inspiring learning environments and some also include facilities for wider community benefit and use that will be enjoyed by generations to come.

“The projects are also a welcome boost to the local economy, creating apprenticeship opportunities for young people and construction jobs across the country.”

Greig Jamieson, Hub South East’s Commercial Director added: “This is a major investment in education for our client, Scottish Borders Council, and we are delighted to be working in partnership to ensure its successful delivery.

“The new Jedburgh Campus will provide a modern learning experience, fit for the needs of all generations, and as we develop this exciting project, we look forward to ensuring that the community will benefit from investment in the local area.”

“This is our first appointment by Hub South East since joining its supply chain earlier this year and we were absolutely delighted to be given the opportunity to bring our experience to their team on this state of the art learning campus that will be a massive asset to both Scottish Borders Council and the local community.”

Martin Cooper

Construction Director, BAM Construction