The Education Minister says significant progress has been made on the new Castle Rushen High School.
However, her predecessor has criticised timelines and raised questions about the design plans.
Minister Daphne Caine said that a key milestone has been achieved with the successful appointment of an integrated consultancy team for project management and cost consultancy.
A consortium has also been procured to provide architectural and design expertise.
The design process is currently at RIBA Stage two, which, the minister explained, “focuses on the layout of the site accommodating specific spatial requirements and considering the arrangement of external areas”.
Challenge
Mrs Caine’s predecessor, Julie Edge, challenged the progress, stating the project is “significantly behind the original, anticipated programme.”
She questioned the appointment dates, saying: “I think the minister’s just give a wrong date out. She said the design team were put in place in May 24 I think she means 25.”
Ms Edge further urged the Minister to commit to “creating and producing an up to date project scheme plan” and to publish the terms of reference for the design consortium.
In response, Mrs Caine said: “I’m a little puzzled where the honourable member is going or what she wants to establish.”
She added: “We are progressing this as speedily as is possible and everybody is very focused on delivering a new high school for Castle Rushen High School.”
Funding
Other members weighed in on the design and funding process. Chris Thomas queried if the same RIBA-led process used for the Liverpool ferry terminal would be followed, noting it involves “tonnes and tonnes of money”.
Lawrie Hooper observed that the concept design stage “still feels very, very, very early in the process” and sought confirmation on when the funding request would come back to Tynwald, with Mrs Caine saying DESC is working towards “summer, hopefully June 2026″.
Infrastructure Minister Dr Michelle Haywood also indicated the project is “targeting release of tender documents in December this year”.
Jason Moorhouse MHK offered support, congratulating the minister “on shifting this forward” while constituency colleague Tim Glover suggested that questioners should “go and see the head of Castle Rushen High School, Mr. Winstanley, who will speak very glowingly of the progress that’s being made”.