Robertson’s £100m school campus in Dundee gets official opening

Drumgeith Community Campus is designed to serve the local community, offering a wide range of facilities including a library, games halls, gymnasiums, floodlit 3G football and rugby all-weather pitches, a fitness suite, and a dance studio.

Greenfield Academy, the new secondary school within the campus, brings together the school communities of Braeview Academy and Craigie High School. The campus provides specialist pupil support provision, as well as citywide music and performing arts. Youth work is a key part of the campus with the Communities Service delivering a wide range of activities aimed at providing safe spaces for young people, supporting skill development, and increasing opportunities.

Dundee City Council and Robertson Construction worked in partnership to deliver the project. The partnership generated significant community benefits, providing jobs, training opportunities, and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of local people.

As a result, over 70% of the construction workforce came from within a 40-mile radius of the site, and £66.35 million (78.76%) of total project spend went to subcontractors and suppliers located within 40 miles of the campus.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Drumgeith Community Campus is one of the biggest school infrastructure projects to ever be delivered in Scotland. Supported by £40.2m from the Scottish Government’s £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme, the campus will improve opportunities for young people, providing them with a high-quality place to learn and achieve.

“It’s great to see how campus will also benefit the wider community in the east of Dundee, offering state-of-the-art facilities for leisure, learning and fitness.”

Elliot Robertson, chief executive officer, Robertson Group, said: “Drumgeith Community Campus shows what can be achieved when the focus is on high quality facilities, strong environmental performance and long-term benefit for the community. As the first building constructed to Passivhaus standard in Dundee City Council’s education estate, it’s a project with sustainability at its core, from the green steel in the ASN block to the extensive solar panels, helping to create a campus with a lower carbon impact and reduced running costs.

“Working in close partnership with Dundee City Council and a largely local supply chain has been central to the project’s success. We have been a partner of choice for the Council for many years, and this campus perfectly reflects our shared commitment to high quality, community wealth building and creating spaces that will serve the area well for years to come.”

Council Leader Mark Flynn said: “I am extremely proud to have delivered the new Drumgeith Community Campus. The £100m state-of-the-art facility, delivered with support from the Scottish Government, is the largest investment in education, sport and community provision in the city.

“Since opening, it’s been great to see how popular the campus has become, with a full programme of evening and weekend activities, including community events, leisure classes, community library sessions, and youth diversionary activities. Friday Night Football has proven incredibly popular, supporting over 100 young people.

“As a council, we are working to shape our future and improve the lives of the people who live, work, and learn here.

“This campus is a key part of that vision, delivering real benefits to the east of the city by expanding access to services, improving facilities, and supporting at risk individuals to help reduce inequalities and improve outcomes.”

Elliot Robertson, chief executive officer, Robertson Group, said: “Drumgeith Community Campus shows what can be achieved when the focus is on high quality facilities, strong environmental performance and long-term benefit for the community. As the first building constructed to Passivhaus standard in Dundee City Council’s education estate, it’s a project with sustainability at its core, from the green steel in the ASN block to the extensive solar panels, helping to create a campus with a lower carbon impact and reduced running costs.

“Working in close partnership with Dundee City Council and a largely local supply chain has been central to the project’s success. We have been a partner of choice for the council for many years, and this campus perfectly reflects our shared commitment to high quality, community wealth building and creating spaces that will serve the area well for years to come.”

Drumgeith Community Campus was delivered through Procurement Hub Major Projects 2 Framework.

The 2023-28 Capital Plan included provision for construction of this new £100m community campus and encompassed grant support from the Scottish Government through its Learning Investment Programme.