Plans have been submitted for Dunfermline’s proposed £180 million super campus.
The proposal would see Fife College’s Dunfermline campus relocated to a site at Halbeath Interchange along with relocated Woodmill and St Columba’s high schools. It is anticipated students could move onto the site in 2024.
Principal of Fife College Dr Hugh Hall said: “The Dunfermline Learning Campus will be a ground-breaking development for the kingdom, and we’re incredibly excited at the prospect of what we can achieve on this site.
“We aim to create a truly collaborative learning environment for students of all ages that offers a wide range of opportunities.
“From senior school to further and higher education, and the provision of courses to meet the needs of business, we want to offer the stepping stones needed to allow students to achieve their personal and professional goals.
“We are determined to offer all learners, and the wider community, a fantastic learning environment in which to thrive.
“This planning application is a significant step in our journey to deliver a unique and modern learning campus for Fife. We look forward to updating everyone as the project progresses.”
The Scottish Government has already pledged to invest up to £90 million in capital to fund the college portion of the campus, and up to 50% of the overall cost for the schools element, with the total price tag expected to range between £150m and £180m.
However, last year questions were raised over how the council would find the necessary funding.
Fife College already owns a portion of the site south of Fife Leisure Park, and Fife Council is planning to purchase additional adjacent land.
The college recently appointed a project management team for its new Dunfermline base, and the council are due to begin consultation in the coming months on proposals to relocate the two schools.
Fife Council’s head of education Carrie Lindsay said: “A joint campus will enable our young people to access courses, wider experiences and opportunities on a single campus.
“This is more than the schools on their own would ever be able to provide and will inevitably bring about improvement in attainment, employability skills and sustained, positive destinations for all young people.
“This is a really exciting prospect for the young people of Dunfermline but also across the whole of Fife as digital connections will allow the opportunities to have no geographical boundaries.
“We’ll be carrying out a full consultation in our local communities in the new year to see how we can take this proposal forward.”
Bruce Shepherd, chairman of the Shepherd Offshore Group, added: “We are absolutely delighted to support Fife College and File Council with such an exciting, innovative and ground breaking development which will create a world class learning environment for students of all ages and the wider community.
“The principals, executives, management and project teams at both the college and the council deserve great credit as it is their passion, drive and commitment that has made this incredible project a reality.”
