Work on the new Tarbolton Community Campus can now begin with the official contracts now signed after the project reached financial close.

Housing 297 primary pupils along with 40 nursery children, the facility will include sports, leisure and library facilities as well as meeting rooms.

In addition, extensive landscaping to make the site accessible from all parts of the village will also be delivered.

With demolition of the original school building now complete, work is set to begin on the new-build phase of works.

Councillor Margaret Toner, lifelong learning portfolio holder at South Ayrshire Council, said she was pleased to see the project progress: “We’re committed to providing all our children with equal access to education and our rural schools play an important role in our wider vision.

“This exciting project is moving ahead following extensive engagement with the local community and I’m pleased to say we’ve enjoyed widespread support for our plans.

“I look forward to seeing this new community hub coming together in the next few months, and I’m confident the public will like what they see when the doors open next year.”

Eddie Robertson, managing director for Morrison Construction’s Central Scotland business, said: “We’re proud to be working with South Ayrshire Council and hub South West Scotland to deliver the new Tarbolton Community Campus.

“We will be working hard with all the stakeholders involved to maximise the opportunities that this project can create for local people and local businesses, while providing pupils, staff and the community with a high quality facility that will stand the test of time.”

Tarbolton Community Campus will be constructed using a Design, Build, Development Agreement (DBDA).

Michael McBrearty, chief executive of delivery partner, hub South West, added: “We’ve reached an important milestone in this project and we’re excited at the prospect of getting boots on the ground.

“With the contracts now signed we can now look ahead to delivering this fantastic project for the people of Tarbolton, with work due to get underway later this year.”

The development, funded by South Ayrshire Council, is set to open in the early part of 2017.