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Planning permission lodged for new Dunfermline Learning Campus site

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An application for Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) has been lodged for land at the Halbeath Interchange, the proposed site of the new £180 million Dunfermline Learning Campus. (@fifecollege)

Shepherd Offshore have submitted a proposal illustrating the site designations for use, including a 60 acre portion for educational buildings, to allow for the re-location of Fife College’s Dunfermline Campus and the proposed relocation of St Columba’s RC High School and Woodmill High School.

Fife College already owns a portion of land south of the Fife Leisure Park, and Fife Council is planning to purchase additional adjacent land.

Their aim is to create an innovative learning campus that provides a streamlined pathway for students from school through to further and higher education, as well as providing state of the art facilities to meet the learning and training needs of businesses and the wider community.

Fife College have recently appointed their project management team for their new Dunfermline base, and the council are due to begin consultation in the coming months on proposals to relocate the two schools.

The campus is due to be completed by the autumn of 2024 to allow students to start studying there from the beginning of the 2024/25 academic year.

Principal of Fife College, Dr Hugh Hall said:

“The Dunfermline Learning Campus will be a ground-breaking development for the Kingdom, and we’re incredibly excited at the prospect of what we can achieve on this site.

“We aim to create a truly collaborative learning environment for students of all ages that offers a wide range of opportunities.

“From senior school to further and higher education, and the provision of courses to meet the needs of business, we want to offer the stepping stones needed to allow students to achieve their personal and professional goals.

“We are determined to offer all learners, and the wider community, a fantastic learning environment in which to thrive.

“This planning application is a significant step in our journey to deliver a unique and modern learning campus for Fife. We look forward to updating everyone as the project progresses.”

Carrie Lindsay, Executive Director of Education at Fife Council said:

“A joint campus will enable our young people to access courses, wider experiences and opportunities on a single campus.

“This is more than the schools on their own would ever be able to provide and will inevitably bring about improvement in attainment, employability skills and sustained, positive destinations for all young people.

“This is a really exciting prospect for the young people of Dunfermline but also across the whole of Fife as digital connections will allow the opportunities to have no geographical boundaries.

“We’ll be carrying out a full consultation in our local communities in the new year to see how we can take this proposal forward.”

Bruce Shepherd O.B.E., Chairman of the Shepherd Offshore Group said:

“We are absolutely delighted to support Fife College and File Council with such an exciting, innovative and ground breaking development which will create a world class learning environment for students of all ages and the wider community.

“The principals, executives, management and project teams at both the College and the Council deserve great credit as it is their passion, drive and commitment that has made this incredible project a reality”.


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