MSP and former Neilston councillor Paul O’Kane is “delighted” that construction work to build a new Neilston Primary, new St Thomas’s Primary and new Madras Family Centre on a shared site has finally started.
He has closely advocated and supported the progress of the shared campus area, having campaigned for it since his re-election in 2017 and driving the consultation and working with parent councils and other relevant stakeholders as Education Convener from 2017 to 2021.
Paul visited the site and watched as day one of the construction project began.
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The West Scotland MSP said: “I’m just delighted that our new schools and family centre for Neilston are finally starting to get built.
“For two years this project was effectively paused because of covid but now it’s with immense satisfaction that we can all watch the project take that first step on the road to completion.
“From the very beginning it was clear to me that the idea of having three distinct and unique educational institutions each with their own identity and leadership share a state of the art campus and have them all benefit from that environment was something bold and important to pursue for our village.
“I was pleased to be able to build support for this concept amongst parents, young people and the wider community over these past few years. I was also pleased as Education Convener to secure the buy in of the education department and appropriate funding which will see £40m spent on learning and leisure facilities in Neilston.”
The new facility is being built on ground within the site of the current Neilston Primary, allowing the existing school to continue running during construction.
Once the new school and nursery facility is completed, the current Neilston Primary and Madras Family Centre will be demolished to allow an all-weather football pitch and multi-use games area to be created.
Paul added: “It will be real gain for current and future generations of children from Neilston who will get to learn in a modern, vibrant educational setting.
“Of course, the wider community will also look to benefit from use of these facilities and hopefully things like a new all-weather football pitch is something be enjoyed by locals, as well as future work to deliver a new leisure centre at the St Thomas’ site.
“Young people’s education went through so much disruption in the last two years, that’s why all projects that look to invest in and redevelop schools, like this shared campus project certainly does, should be championed.”
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