Key construction milestone for brand new Mynydd Isa Campus

In a significant development for educational infrastructure in Flintshire, Robertson Construction, WEPCo, and Flintshire County Council have celebrated the ‘topping out’ of the Mynydd Isa Campus.

This event marks reaching the highest point of the new campus’s construction, a project that promises to deliver a state-of-the-art learning environment for more than 1,300 pupils aged three to 16.

The campus, which is being constructed with a focus on sustainability and community engagement, will replace Argoed High School and incorporate Ysgol Mynydd Isa, providing modern facilities while maintaining operational distinctions between the schools.

To commemorate this construction milestone, a ceremonial brick was prepared, echoing an ancient tradition believed to ensure the prosperity and success of the building.

Ingredients such as oil, corn, salt, and wine were added to the brick mould by Councillor Claire Homard, Councillor Mared Eastwood, and head teachers Paul Smith and Richard Collett, symbolising liberty, abundance, purity, and hospitality respectively.

Dirk Pittaway, Managing Director, Robertson Construction North West, explained: “In addition to celebrating the milestone with a symbolic age-old tradition, the presentation of the fir tree signifies the creation of a Campus that will flourish and provide a quality environment to nurture pupils and encourage educational growth and attainment.”

Robertson has been engaging with the local community throughout the build, including hosting site visits, presenting progress to local schools and delivering a programme of community benefits that will support the area socially, economically and environmentally.

Mynydd Isa Campus will replace Argoed High School and incorporate the local primary school Ysgol Mynydd Isa. The schools will operate separately from the two-storey campus and with some shared facilities.

Dirk continued: “Works are well underway for the new campus that will provide a modern, first-class learning environment that will address both educational and personal needs. The topping out has been a real celebration of the relationships that have been formed and the progress that has been made, which will ensure that Mynydd Isa Campus has strong deep roots in the community.

“We look forward to continuing our relationships over the next 12 months and beyond, when we will hand over the building to Flintshire County Council and Robertson Facilities Management, who will maintain a presence in the local area as the hard FM provider for the Campus.”

Christian Stanbury, CEO, WEPCo, said: “I am delighted to see this exciting WEPCo project reach such an important milestone. All of our partners have been working exceptionally hard to deliver on our promise of an education campus which leads the way on net zero carbon as well as making a huge difference to the learners, staff and the local community for many years to come.”

Councillor Mared Eastwood, Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure, said: “It is a great privilege for me to have the honour of being part of the topping out ceremony and learning about the significance and tradition of the ceremony itself. Getting to this stage of the build has involved a lot of hard work and support from so many people. The ceremony represents a major milestone for Flintshire County Council and is a big step forwards for the present and future learners of Flintshire.”