Construction work has commenced on a landmark £30million Education Service and Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) project in North Ayrshire.

This project will see two new facilities built for children and young people - an Additional Support Needs (ASN) School and a Respite and Residential (R&R) facility. These facilities will sit alongside each other on the grounds next to Auchenharvie Academy.

The ASN school will replace James McFarlane, James Reid Stanecastle and Haysholm, providing modern, fully accessible facilities for 200 young people from ages two to 18 with a range of additional needs.

It will include sensory spaces, a swimming pool, an hydrotherapy pool and enhanced outdoor learning spaces including an outdoor rebound area and external classrooms, as well as facilities for health and social care colleagues to access, incorporating first-aid, therapy and treatment facilities.

The R&R facility will incorporate an eight-bedroom respite facility for young persons with additional support and health needs, along with an eight-bedroom residential facility which will provide a specialist environment for young people with severe and complex needs.

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North Ayrshire Provost Ian Clarkson was on hand to cut the first piece of turf at the groundbreaking ceremony.

He said: "It is a real honour and privilege to be here today celebrating what is going to be an incredible development for North Ayrshire.

"There is nowhere else in Scotland that will have resources like these sitting alongside each other. This is a huge positive and a very exciting prospect for the families using the facilities."

Councillor John Bell, Cabinet Member for Education, commented: "The ASN school is going to be much more than bricks and mortar. It's going to provide an environment which will make a huge difference to their learning experience and their lives of the children and young people.

"Being adjacent to Auchenharvie Academy, we are sure the Campus will create exciting opportunities for joint working and learning between the school communities.

"We're all very excited about this. The design of the school is stunning, providing lots of open spaces for the young people to learn and thrive."

Councillor Robert Foster, Cabinet member for the Health and Social Care Partnership, added: "The R&R facility is going to be a safe, fun, modern environment that feels like home for the young people.

"Having this facility here in North Ayrshire will be such a huge thing for the families who need it. It will make such a difference to them and their children's lives. It's going to be such a welcoming and accommodating place for the young people and their families. We are sure they will be happy, comfortable and settled there.

"We are now really looking forward to works progressing and ultimately opening what promises to be an amazing facility."

The Council is working in partnership with hub South West, who have appointed Morrison Construction Scotland and Norr Architects to deliver the project.

(CM/JG)