Morgan Sindall Construction has started foundation works on the new Passivhaus-standard Broadford Primary School and community campus on the Isle of Skye, part of almost £50m of Highland Council investment across Skye, with completion targeted for winter 2027.

The 2,541m² development will serve Broadford and South Skye, bringing a new primary school and nursery alongside community amenities. The campus will feature six primary classrooms, two nursery classrooms, a library, canteen and dining space, and a games hall, plus a Highland Council Service Point and a High Life Highland library to create a focal point for local learning and activity.

Construction, which began in May 2026, has progressed through compound establishment, phased utility diversions, bulk excavation and cut-and-fill operations, with foundations now under way.

To navigate the logistical constraints of island construction — including seasonal pressures on accommodation, labour and materials — the team has switched from a standard timber frame to a factory-produced closed-panel timber kit. This approach reduces time on site and the number of personnel required, while cutting work at height and enhancing quality through off-site manufacture.

Sustainability is central to the scheme: the building is being delivered to Passivhaus standard with solar PV panels, and its orientation is designed to maximise passive solar gains, supporting the council's low-carbon, future-ready learning estate ambitions.

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Local benefits include the recruitment of a Trainee Quantity Surveyor and the engagement of local contractors and subcontractors. The contractor is also collaborating with the existing Broadford Primary School opposite the site, with pupil and school visits planned in the coming months. Students from Plockton High School are due to join Morgan Sindall Construction's annual World of Work Tasters event at Fort George later this month.

Ian MacDonald, Senior Operations Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction in Scotland, said: "Reaching the foundation stage brings us another step closer to providing a new learning and community facility for Broadford and the wider South Skye area.

"Broadford Primary School is an important part of the wider investment being made in Skye, and we are pleased to be working alongside The Highland Council to deliver a facility that will benefit the community.

"Building on the island comes with unique logistical challenges, so adapting our approach has been an important part of keeping the project moving. At the same time, we are focused on creating opportunities for local people and businesses and building strong relationships with the community as the project progresses."

Chair of Highland Council's education committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: "I am delighted to see contractors on site and work progressing on a project which is going to bring enormous benefits for young people and the wider community of Broadford and south Skye. It's exciting to see the fantastic educational and sporting facilities taking shape.

"I am pleased to see contractors taking a flexible and sympathetic approach to the local community and environment during the building phase and it is encouraging to see that job opportunities are also being created.

"With another new school soon to get underway in Dunvegan, and several other important infrastructure improvements taking shape on the island, including the development of the sports pitch beside the new school in Broadford, it's an exciting time in Skye.

"Strong and productive partnerships involving council, local members, Sport Scotland, community and government have been key to unlocking investment and driving positive change that will support people of all ages and future generations."

Morgan Sindall Construction operates UK-wide across public and private sectors, delivering projects from small works and repairs through to major standalone schemes and multi-project frameworks, including education, health, civic, office, retail and leisure facilities.