Galashiels Community Campus

OVERVIEW

Located approximately 36 miles south of Edinburgh, the Galashiels Community Campus project represents a significant enhancement of educational and recreational infrastructure in the Scottish Borders. Led by the Scottish Borders Council in partnership with Hub South East and Morrison Construction, this £55 million initiative aims to create a world-class, environmentally sustainable facility. The new campus will serve up to 1,000 pupils and provide extensive sporting, leisure, health and community support services, all from a single location.

WHAT WE DID

SDS was tasked with designing and implementing a comprehensive surface water attenuation system for the Campus, utilising a combination of twin GEOlight® Tanks, with a combined capacity of 525m³, and Weholite HDPE manholes. Our system ensures that the extensive hard and soft landscaping, including footpaths, car parks, sports pitches and green areas, can withstand extreme rainfall events without risk of flooding, thereby protecting the campus and its surroundings.

To comply with stringent planning and environmental guidelines, significant landscape features, including heavily wooded areas and valuable trees, were preserved, and public access to large areas of Scott Park was maintained throughout construction. The new drainage facilities were designed to accommodate necessary diversions of other underground services and utilities, ensuring comprehensive infrastructure integration and regulatory compliance.

RESULTS

The system successfully mitigates flood risks and preserves environmental integrity, allowing the existing school and swimming pool to remain operational during construction and minimising educational disruption.

Overall, the project supports increased educational and community opportunities, providing a world-class, environmentally sustainable facility with extensive sporting, leisure, health and community services. The Galashiels Community Campus project demonstrates the successful integration of innovative water management solutions in a large-scale Public Sector development, showcasing SDS’s effectiveness in creating resilient, environmentally friendly infrastructure.