Plans for a £43 million education campus on the Isle of Mull have moved forward, Argyll and Bute Council has confirmed.

Following a decision earlier this month on the preferred location, the council will now progress with developing a detailed brief and concept design to inform the overall business case for the project.

Councillors agreed on 7 March that Tobermory South was the preferred site for the new 2-18 campus, citing the potential for increased educational benefits, enhanced learning spaces, contemporary accessible facilities, and long-term economic advantages for the island.

The upcoming stage of the project will involve creating a design brief that encompasses technical specifications, such as engineering requirements, and the number and types of spaces needed within the facility. Children, young people, and education staff will be given opportunities to contribute their ideas at key points during this phase.

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As the chosen Tobermory South site represents a change from the existing campus location, the council is required to undertake a statutory education consultation under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. Details of this consultation are currently being finalised, and the council will share the timeline for the next stage following consideration of a report by Councillors at the Community Services Committee in June.

With the preferred location now established, the project has been renamed the Tobermory campus, aligning it with the island's main settlement and mirroring the naming conventions of previous education projects such as the Lochgilphead and Rothesay Joint Campuses.

Councillor Jim Lynch, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, emphasised the significance of the investment: "Building a new campus in Tobermory is a significant investment and has the potential to be the council's single biggest investment across the whole of Argyll and Bute. With Tobermory South agreed as the preferred site, I'm pleased we are progressing to the next stages where we can start to look at designs and offer further opportunities to give feedback. This next stage will further develop the business case, which will come back to Councillors before approval is given to proceed towards the construction phases."

He added: "The new campus will deliver a range of opportunities for our children and young people with quality modern learning and teaching facilities with more scope for work placements and apprenticeships."

"This is really an exciting time and as we finalise timelines for the next project milestones, I want to thank you all again for your ongoing feedback," Councillor Lynch concluded.