Forth Valley College’s new £78 million Falkirk Campus will be built by Balfour Beatty it was announced this week (11/10/17).
The new Falkirk Campus was given the official final go ahead in a letter from John Swinney Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on Thursday 5 October, with the Scottish Government providing £65 million towards the project through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
After a competitive tender process the world renowned construction company were confirmed as winners of the contract and Forth Valley College Principal Dr Ken Thomson and Hector Macaulay, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Regional business in Scotland signed an official agreement at the current Falkirk Campus and visited the Middlefield site, on Wednesday 11 October.
The new 20,709 square metre campus - which is earmarked for completion in November 2019 – will become the Forth Valley College headquarters and house more than 2,000 full-time students. It will complete FVC’s ambitious estates programme which saw their £21 million Alloa Campus opened in 2011 and their £29 million Stirling Campus opened a year later.
The new Falkirk HQ will focus heavily on science and engineering training facilities, but will also have state-of-the-art provision and capabilities to accommodate a wide range of FVC’s courses.
Balfour Beatty will utilise a range of its in-house capabilities in the build, including mechanical and electrical engineering expertise and specialist geotechnical knowledge to meet the project’s requirements and provide the college with an integrated, sustainable design.
Works are due to commence this Autumn, and at construction peak will employ more than 250 individuals including 18 apprenticeship positions and opportunities for 10 long term unemployed people.
John Swinney Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, said:
“We are pleased to support Forth Valley College’s plans for its Falkirk Campus which will help provide thousands of students with a modern and inspiring learning environment.
“I am particularly glad to hear of the focus on science and engineering training facilities, given the importance of these subjects to Scotland’s economy, and very much welcome the creation of various job opportunities as part of the project.”
Dr Ken Thomson, Forth Valley College, Principal said:
“Balfour Beatty have a superb industry reputation and we are very pleased to have them on board as contractors for our new Falkirk Campus.
“The tender process was very competitive and we are confident Balfour Beatty is the best candidate to help us realise our vision for the future of Forth Valley College. We will be working with Balfour Beatty to optimise local benefits and opportunities as the projects progress.”
Hector Macaulay, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Regional business in Scotland, said:
“This is another great win for our business in Scotland, and we are delighted to be able to provide over 2,000 students in Falkirk with a stimulating and exciting study environment.
“Throughout the project lifecycle, we will work closely with a variety of key community stakeholders including the Polmont Young Offenders Institution, Forth Valley Community Focus and The Engineering Trust to drive further benefit and deliver on our added social value promises.”
John Kemp, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: "Thursday’s announcement is great news. It means that staff and students at Forth Valley College's Falkirk Campus will join their counterparts in Alloa and Stirling in benefiting from a new, modern campus designed for twenty-first century learning."