Dunfermline: Scottish Minister stops off at Learning Campus build

During the visit, Richard Lochhead MSP, minister for Small Business, Tourism, Innovation and Trade, heard about the progress of a Scotland-wide campaign to improve construction quality.

The Construction Quality Improvement Collaborative (CQIC) was formally launched by the Construction Leadership Forum in February and aims to encourage industry and public sector organisations to agree to a new quality charter that would underpin all construction work.

So far, 82 public and private sector organisations representing over 30,000 construction-related workers have signed up to the charter, pledging to do all they can to deliver a sustainable quality culture across the sector.

This includes all the key project partners at Dunfermline Learning Campus - Fife Council, hub East Central Scotland, BAM, architects AHR and M&E engineers Rybka.

Balfour Beatty, contractor for the new Fife College building, have also committed to the charter.

With the schools part due to open in August 2024, the new campus will bring together pupils, students and staff at St Columba’s RC High School, Woodmill High School and Fife College in modern, fit for purpose and low carbon facilities.

Mr Lochhead, who is also Chair of the Construction Leadership Forum, heard how the campus is aiming to meet stringent Passivhaus environmental standards, so must be built to the very highest quality.

“It’s great to see the commitment to achieving excellent quality, sustainable buildings from all the partners developing the Dunfermline Learning Campus," he said.

“The Construction Quality Improvement Charter aligns with our ambitions for the sector and I would encourage everyone involved – clients, consultants, designers, contractors and the supply chain – to show their commitment to quality by signing up.

“Better quality buildings make sense environmentally, financially and, most importantly, from a safety perspective too.”

Alan Paul, Head of Property Services at Fife Council, added: "Fife Council has a strong commitment to construction quality, to a just and sustainable transition and to maximising community wealth building. Our work on Dunfermline Learning Campus has allowed us to deliver against all 3 objectives – and to do so at pace and in partnership with Fife College.

"As a consequence, not only will we deliver a unique first-class learning environment, but we will also leave a very positive and lasting legacy for the communities of the City of Dunfermline.

"One of the cornerstones of our approach is an uncompromising approach to quality, to include construction quality which led us to be one of the first councils to commit to the Construction Quality Improvement Charter."

Martin Cooper, Construction Director for BAM, sad they were committed to building a more sustainable tomorrow which means building high-quality, sustainable buildings that are fit for the future.

"At Dunfermline Learning Campus we’re working closely with our client, Fife Council, to construct a fantastic learning environment that meets Passivhaus environmental standards," he said. "We are using the latest digital technologies and construction techniques to construct the new schools to the highest level of quality.

“We are proud committed members of the Construction Quality Improvement Charter and are supporting the drive to create a sustainable quality culture across construction in Scotland.”

Fife Council's education spokesperson, Councillor Cara Hilton, joined the Minister on his visit.

She said: "It was great to be back on site and I’m always amazed by the scale and quality of this build.

"Dunfermline Learning Campus will bring state-of-the-art facilities for pupils and students. It’s a huge investment from Fife Council in our young people’s futures.

"Working with our partners, we’re building schools across Fife which are ground-breaking in their design and function.”