Inverclyde Council has said the main contractor on the £44m Port Glasgow Community Campus has reported a further delay to the project.

The campus was due to be handed over at the end of October in order to allow the pupils and staff of Port Glasgow High, St Stephen's High and Craigmarloch schools to move from their current locations.

The contractors for the project, GRAHAM Construction, issued a statement on the matter.

It said the campus would be completed by Christmas.

It added: "While construction has gone well overall, poor weather at the start of the project, the unique and complex nature of the facility and associated services fit out have contributed to the revised opening date of October being extended by a further six weeks.

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"The Slaemuir complex will become the new home for Port Glasgow High School and St Stephen's High School as well as a new Additional Support Needs (ASN) School - to replace Glenburn and Lilybank schools."

Gary Holmes, Regional Director at GRAHAM Construction explained: "We are hugely disappointed and regret that we have been unable to deliver the facility by the autumn recess and take full responsibility for the additional delay. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this will cause both Inverclyde Council and the local community.

"However, we are confident the Port Glasgow Community Campus will be absolutely unique, and a fantastic asset to the community for decades to come."

Council Leader Councillor Stephen McCabe said: "This is hugely disappointing news. The contractor assures us that they are pulling out all of the stops to get the campus completed as soon as possible and we have been guaranteed that will be before Christmas.

"It is absolutely right that a decision has been made at this stage to delay moving the schools as it would be quite wrong to consider holding classes in a building that is not fully complete.

"Our priority has to be to ensure the move when it comes is as safe and as smooth as possible, causing the minimum amount of disruption to staff and pupils."

(JP/CD)