A turf-cutting ceremony was held at the site of the new facility on Friday 15 December.

The hub, which will be located on Babylon Road, will provide modern facilities for Sacred Heart Primary School, Lawmuir Primary School, a Family Learning Centre (0-5 years) and a community centre (which will replace the Joe McKay Centre).

Councillor Angela Campbell, convener of Education, Children and Families at North Lanarkshire Council, who cut the first turf on the site, said: “This is an exciting development, and the news will be welcomed by so many people in the community including the 700 children who will attend each day.

“The new Orbiston Community Hub will provide pupils and teachers with a wonderful learning environment and provide the local community with a range of high-quality outdoor spaces and indoor facilities.

“We’re delighted to be delivering this major investment in new schools and community facilities for Bellshill, which underlines our commitment to giving children and young people in North Lanarkshire the best start possible in life.”

Michael Ross, chief executive of public sector development partner hub South West, added: “The benefits of the community hub are not limited to the physical building.

“For example, our ‘Build Lanarkshire’ programme supports local businesses in the construction industry to help them secure more work. We will also work closely with our construction partner Morgan Sindall to deliver a wide range of activities to develop local skills and apprenticeships.”

Stuart Parker, managing director at Morgan Sindall Construction Scotland, said: “We are pleased to celebrate the commencement of this brilliant project which will see us bring sports, education and wellbeing to the heart of the Orbiston community.”

“We are proud to have been actively delivering educational facilities for over 13 years in the North Lanarkshire area, where our Scotland head office is based. Through projects like this, such as the recently completed Riverbank Community Hub which is also in partnership with hub South West, we will leave a lasting and positive legacy.”

The key features of the new hub include:

• The existing Lawmuir and Sacred Heart Primary Schools will be replaced with modern, purpose-built facilities within the community hub.
• A nursery facility will cater to the early learning needs of the community.
• A dedicated community hall and learning spaces, providing opportunities for a wide range of activities and gatherings.
• The project encompasses both free play areas and equipped play areas, including a school garden, to promote outdoor learning.
• A multi-use games area (MUGA) and a seven-a-side all-weather pitch.
• Staff and visitor car parking facilities.

The hub will be set back from the edge of Babylon Road and has a clear focus on pedestrian and cyclist safety, with four-metre-wide pavements to encourage active travel to the hub.

Classrooms will be located at the northern end of the building, separated from the rest of the hub by outdoor ‘quiet spaces’ including landscaped areas, free play areas and a school garden.

The football pitch will be accessible from Hamilcomb Road and Liberty Road along with community open green space on the former site of Sacred Heart Primary School, YMCA and Orbiston Nursery.

Traffic management measures, including a mini roundabout at the junction of Babylon Road and traffic calming on Footfield Road, are being implemented to ensure safe access to the site.

The new hub is part of North Lanarkshire Council’s plan which prioritises investment in education, skills development, and employment opportunities to ensure residents have access to the resources they need to thrive.

The construction of the new hub is expected to be completed by Winter 2025.