Work to start on new community hub
22 September 2021
A new primary school including early learning and childcare provision and a community facility on the site of the former Torry Academy is on course to be completed by Summer 2023, the council's Capital Programme Committee heard today.
The new Torry Hub will bring together in one place a range of services which will create synergies and a shared purpose to provide an environment where social, economic, educational, recreational and cultural activities can occur, and service provision gaps can be closed. It is intended that the Torry Community Hub will deliver the opportunity to provide localised whole family support for children, young people and adult family members.
Committee convener Councillor Marie Boulton said: “The update on progress for the start of the new Torry Hub is very welcome and was unanimously approved by members of the committee.
“I’m sure people in the community will enjoy watching the build progress over the coming months and we all look forward to more updates.”
A report to committee said the brief and design for the project was developed in conjunction with the intended and potential users of the new facility, including Torry Locality Partnership.
It is intended that the Torry Community Hub will deliver the opportunity to provide localised whole family support for children, young people and adult family members. The new Community Hub will provide a two-stream primary school with a capacity for 434 pupils, Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) provision for 100 pupils, a community cafe, library, multi-purpose rooms, offices and meeting spaces for service providers, recording facilities, performance and rehearsal facilities, a 3G 7 a-side-pitch, and external outdoor play and learning spaces.
The report said contractors have been removing materials containing asbestos and the demolition of the former Torry Academy. As has been verbally reported to committee previously, these works have been significantly delayed as a result of the discovery of additional materials containing asbestos and have also been further delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the construction industry.
Hub North Scotland is currently completing its commercial proposals, in conjunction with their supply chain, so as to take into account the currently understood implications of Covid, and also the construction industry wide materials availability and inflation issues. Both the Council and Hub North Scotland seek to achieve commercial close as early as previously after the demolition works have been completed and this is likely to be achieved in October 2021.