Elected Member Briefing - Learning estate programme

About this briefing note

Report by: Brian Reid, Service Manager (Resource Management), Education & Children's Services

Date: 10 June 2022

Subject: Replacement Blairgowrie Recreation Centre and Perth High School

Responsible Officer: Greg Boland, Head of Business & Resources, Education & Children's Services

Publication

This Briefing Note has been published on the Council's website following circulation to Councillors. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council. 

Details

Purpose

This briefing note was issued in advance of Property Sub-Committee's consideration of Learning Estate Programme - Progress (Report No 22/121).

Briefing information

Construction update

As you are aware the war in Ukraine and inflation at a 40 year high has caused significant volatility in the construction market meaning that our contractors are unwilling to commit to prices due to increasing inflation and availability of materials.  In some cases, tender returns are not being received on this project. This is also prolonging the procurement process and making fixing costs challenging.

Replacement Blairgowrie Recreation Centre

The new Blairgowrie Recreation Centre swimming pool will be only the second Passivhaus accredited pool in Europe. The implications of the Passivhaus design on procurement process, unlike traditional construction standards to meet Passivhaus accreditation requires all elements of the design to be fully detailed and costed prior to reaching Financial Close when the price is agreed, and the contracts are signed. 

The detailed design is ongoing with input from the Design Team including the architects, mechanical and electrical engineers, the Passivhaus Institute, the Council, and the main contractor. A lot of the design work has been completed with planning approval anticipated August 2022. The overall complexity of achieving a Passivhaus design utilising technology which have not been widely used in the design and build of a leisure facility and specifically swimming pools. 

All the above factors have unfortunately resulted in an extended design phase, and as a result, construction will not start until later in the year. When Financial Close concludes a revised programme will be provided by the contractor. At that time, I will provide more information on the anticipated completion date for the Blairgowrie Recreation Centre.

Replacement Perth High School

The new Perth High School will be one of the first secondary schools in Scotland to be built to Passivhaus standards. Unlike traditional construction standards, to meet Passivhaus accreditation requirements, all elements of the design need to be fully detailed and costed prior to reaching Financial Close when the price is agreed, and the contracts are signed. 

This detailed design is ongoing with input from the Design Team including the architects, mechanical and electrical engineers, the Passivhaus Institute, the Council, and the main contractor. This work has resulted in an extended design 
phase, and as a result, construction will not start until later in the year. As the Financial Close process concludes a revised programme will be provided. At that time, I will provide more information on the anticipated completion date for the new school.