The long-running saga of Dunlop's early years centre could be coming to a close – at the cost of an extra £700,000.
Work on the proposed facility has been ongoing for the last three years but the project has faced a number of delays due to difficulties with the site.
Like other projects, it has also been victim of a rise in costs due to ‘volatility in the materials market’. East Ayrshire Council has also committed to a higher building standard than it originally budgeted for.
Councillors have now agreed to increase the initial budget of £3.14 million by £700,000 with £300k coming from underspend in grant funding for early years provision and another £400k from the council’s own energy efficiency fund.
The centre is expected to open in late autumn 2023.
Previous plans for an extension to the early childhood centre at Dunlop Primary School were scrapped in 2019 due to ‘significant challenges’ at the site.
Instead, the council identified a site for a standalone early years centre near Lugton Road. This would enable the existing facility at the school to be used to provide an extra classroom and open space while avoiding the need to decant pupils.
However, a warning was given that the new site would also ‘present its own challenges in terms of site conditions and future road access arrangements’.
In February 2020, engineers stated that issues with existing sewers, water course and vehicle access would require the water course to be culverted and the main sewer re-routed around the new-build site.
The nature of the area also meant that the culvert would have to be completed before any access could start on the centre’s construction.
Further delays were also imposed with restrictions enforced by SEPA in relation to fish spawning, with work due to be completed in the middle of 2020.
However, the council said that ‘despite significant efforts’ they were unable to secure the titles or permission from landowners to allow work to go ahead.
This meant the project rolled on through the rest of 2020 and into 2021.
With no agreement forthcoming until August 2021, the council’s aim of getting the culvert work underway by April – already a year late – was once again pushed back.
An agreement was reached in August 2021, with work on the culvert beginning the following month. It was only completed in July.
A report to cabinet this week stated: “The works to form the new culverted water course were not without challenges and due to a range of mitigating factors such as material supply issues, third party certification and adverse weather conditions construction works were delayed; as a result the new culvert has only recently been completed on-site.”
The council said it had been in negotiations with the preferred contractor while the culvert was being constructed. Construction is expected to begin next month.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, cabinet spokesperson for lifelong learning, education and skills and culture said: “The decision taken by cabinet means that plans can now progress for Dunlop early childhood centre and will ensure that the council is in a position to support an increase in registered places for early learning and childcare locally.
“As a council, we are committed to ensuring that our youngest learners have the best possible start to their education journey.
“This new Dunlop early childhood centre will make a real difference to local children and their families as well as help towards mitigating Climate Change.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
