Neilston Learning Campus
As part of our continued relationship with East Renfrewshire Council Blyth & Blyth were engaged to deliver this new state-of-the-art education and community facility that replaced the existing Neilston Primary and St Thomas Primary.
Location: Neilston
Client: East Renfrewshire Council
Cost: £21m
Completion: 2024
Services: Civil & Structural
The new Neilston Learning Campus is a joint campus in the Village of Neilston, East Renfrewshire. The Campus accommodates Neilston Primary School, St Thomas’s Primary School, a new joint Early Years facility and a community library.
The project was constructed on the site of the existing Neilston primary School site with the existing school continuing to operate whilst the new school was being constructed.
Facilities in the new development areavailable to the local community outside of school hours. This includes the games hall, drama space, growing gardens and meeting rooms. The all-weather sports pitch and MUGA are also be available for community use.
An important part of the Employers Requirements is that the building was to achieve an energy use target of 67 kWh/m²/a, in order to meet SFT (LEIP) funding criteria for 100% funding. The building is designed with a passive approach to energy consumption, this means that building orientation, ratio of plan to elevation, insulation requirements and air tightness were all reviewed to provide the most energy efficient proposal. Dynamic energy modelling has been used to simulate the in use outcomes.
Specialist STEM facilities are also provided as well as dedicated art, drama and outdoor learning spaces.
Key Challenges
The site had a number of challenges including a 14m level difference, a high voltage cable which has been designed around, a culverted watercourse and combined sewer which are being diverted as well as a 14m level difference and live railway line along the southern boundary.