Heron Bros wins £59m Northern Ireland school project

Heron Bros has won a £59m job to build learning and sports facilities for two schools in Northern Ireland.

The County Londonderry-headquartered contractor was appointed to deliver the project at Ballycastle Shared Education Campus in the town on Northern Ireland’s north coast.

Designed by Samuel Stevenson & Sons, the amenities will serve Ballycastle High School, as well as Cross and Passion College.

Heron Bros’ contract is with the Education Authority Northern Ireland and covers the “design, supply, delivery, receiving, offloading, setting into position, fixing, erection, building testing, commissioning and finishing in every respect” of the facilities.

The project includes construction works; mechanical and electrical services; external and site-development works; demolition; phasing; and decanting.

Heron Bros will create a core educational building alongside a huge raft of sports facilities, including an indoor climbing wall, a synthetic hockey pitch with floodlights and a full-sized football pitch, as well as indoor games courts.

Changing rooms, car and bus parking, and a storage compound will also be built under the contract.

Works will take place on the sites of the two existing schools, which will remain in operation during the construction phase.

Many of the facilities will be open to the public outside of school hours.

Heron Bros last summer began work on Neilston Learning Campus for East Renfrewshire Council in Scotland.