A £60 million scheme to build new secondary schools in Campbeltown and Oban is set to start construction in July after the contract with project partners was signed last week.

The new schools will be built next to the existing ones, with pupils then moving into the new buildings and the old ones being demolished to make way for playing fields, social spaces and car parking.

The projects are being delivered by Argyll and Bute Council in partnership with hub North Scotland, which includes Morrison Construction, and the Scottish Futures Trust through the Scottish Government’s Schools for the Future Programme.

In Oban, the 1,300 capacity of the new school allows for an increasing number of pupils, based on school roll forecasts and local development plan actions.

The new building will be constructed on the grass rugby pitch at the current school site, with the 3G pitch remaining in use throughout. All works will happen to the south of the school and be accessed independently, so the school will function as normal during the works.

The council is currently looking at the school completed in the spring of 2018, with the external works following.

The construction of the new Campbeltown facility, with capacity for up to 500 pupils, is also expected to be complete towards the spring of 2018 with the external works following.

The new three-story school building with associated new 3G sports pitch, music pavilion and enlarged car parking and a new dedicated pupil drop off area will replace the current 1960’s buildings.

Like Oban the work is planned in two phases, the construction of the new school building, then the demolition of all the existing school buildings, which will allow the ground works to take place for the construction of the new 3G pitch, car parking and pupil drop off areas.

Angus Macfarlane, chief executive of hub North Scotland, said: “Reaching financial close on both projects is a vital milestone in that it paves the way for construction on both to begin in earnest; I’m sure it will be warmly welcomed by all key stakeholders across the Oban and Campbeltown developments.

“hub North Scotland is delighted to have been appointed development partner for both projects and we look forward to working with Argyll and Bute Council as well as other project partners to deliver two first-class educational facilities.

“We, as an organisation, are committed to delivering buildings that the communities they are within will benefit from for many years to come and we believe that these schools, on completion, will provide an environment that pupils will be proud to learn within.”

Douglas Hendry, Argyll and Bute Council’s executive director for customer services, who signed the contract on behalf of the council, said: “Obviously we are very pleased to have reached this key stage in our new schools programme. The initiative is based on building high quality schools which will best serve our communities, delivering the Curriculum for Excellence and providing facilities for community use.

“The council is committed to building new, modern schools which will ensure a positive learning environment for our pupils.

“We are delighted to be moving into the construction phase, which will see the new secondary schools in Campbeltown and Oban completed by the spring of 2018.”

The council is paying for the capital cost of the new schools using revenue funding, with additional revenue funding from the Scottish Government