THE contract for the first stage of construction of the new Pembroke Learning Campus has been awarded to contractor Bouygues UK following approval by the Welsh Government of the Full Business Case for the project.

The development is part of an overall planned £42.9 million investment for the Pembroke Learning Campus and is the largest school project undertaken by Pembrokeshire County Council to date.

The first phase is a new 1,463 place 11-18 secondary school and autism centre for 30 learners.

Construction work on the new school will start this month, with an opening date of September 2018.

Work will then be undertaken to demolish the old school and form the new external areas, with all work scheduled for completion by May 2019.

The scheme is part of a significant programme of investment being planned by the council as part of its £149 million 21st Century Schools Capital Programme, with the council having gone through a rigorous five case business case process in order to gain approval for 50 per cent match funding by the Welsh Government.

Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding Cllr Sue Perkins said: “The Pembroke Learning Campus project is a unique opportunity to provide a new school, to create a learning environment designed to improve the delivery of education in the 21st Century.”

Pembroke School head teacher Frank Ciccotti said: “The governors and staff are delighted that the contract has been issued and so the work on delivering Phase 1 of the Pembroke Learning Campus is finally underway after four years of detailed planning.

“In my interactions with Bouygues UK, it is clear that they are highly experienced in building schools and they have a good appreciation of the complexities of working on a live school site. I am confident that we will develop a close working relationship to deliver this important project.”