THE Chronicle spoke to several people at the rugby club last week.

Parent — Aimee Muggridge: “I have an 11-year-old daughter, who moves up to secondary this year, and a son who is eight — both will be attending the new school.

“From a parent’s point of view, I can’t wait for my kids to attend the new multi-million pound state-of-the-art school. It will provide great opportunities for them.

“The facilities that are going to be available are amazing, including an art patio which looks on to Broomfield.

“I am also currently Community Champion at Tesco in Auchinleck and I look forward to working alongside Morrison Construction over the next three years.

“We will be building relationships with them, and the benefits the company will bring to the community will be astounding.

“Finally, as a member of Greenmill Primary Parent Council, we all look forward to seeing the school progressing.

“I think they have taken on board a lot of what the parent council said, we have been involved in the process and made a lot of positives.”

Teacher — Simon Leitch, head teacher of Greenmill Primary and Early Childhood Centre: “I think it looks quite exciting and I have just been discussing the community involvement of the kids during construction.

“There are going to be fantastic educational opportunities during the building of the school. There is going to be a training room which will highlight the different technologies and there will be a lot of STEM-related activities.

“In addition, it will allow the children from both primary schools to mix and bring them all together. The learning opportunities are endless.

“While the building we are in just now is fantastic, the new school will be fit for purpose — it is the 21st century now — for pupils, teachers and staff and everyone involved. It is aspirational for the community.

Local Resident — Asked not to be named: “I am against both — the school itself but, in particular, where the building is going to be.

“East Ayrshire Council were not prepared to consider any other site. Broomfield was very well used and not just by people in the immediate area, but residents from all over the town.

“I feel the school itself is too big and, when the council did their consultation the majority of people did not want it but they went ahead anyway.

“We are just really sorry to see Broomfield go but another issue with people in the area is the construction work which we were told would only take place between 8am and 6pm.

“They have been starting just after 7.30am so I have been told by staff here from Morrison Construction that this will stop.

“There are also concerns about speeding vehicles — cars, not their large lorries — going in and out the site, plus a deer which can’t get into Broomfield and there are fears it is going to wander onto the main road

“A senior manager from Morrisons has promised to look into both issues, so we will see if that is the case.”

Parent — Ann Nairn: “I am happy with the new school and have been since day one.

“I think that it is fantastic that this area is getting so much money invested while the current schools are far overdue for refurbishment — I am fully behind the new school.

“Although they have served their purpose, they are unsuitable for modern-day teaching. Greenmill Primary is still a good enough structure but it is lacking in what is needed nowadays.

“As well as my children Hugh, who is eight and going into P4 at Greenmill and four-year-old Jessica who is about to start in primary one, I have a daughter at 19, who has gone through the education system.

“She has actually written an article outlining all the pros of the new school, but it is the younger ones will have a great opportunity in future.”

Resident — Scott Love : “I think the school itself is long overdue and is badly needed, particularly when you see how badly deteriorated the current buildings are.

“We have children in the family who will be going to the school and I am happy for them to be going to the new campus when it is ready.”

Resident, also requested anonymity: “I am not against the school as such but I am worried about the additional traffic that will be passing past my house.

“Potentially, this will cause increased pollution while I am also concerned that pupils will discard rubbish, as kids tend to do, into my garden — crisp packets, empty soft drinks cans and bottles and that sort of thing.

“Also what view I am going to get...is it going to be obstructed by the height of the new building but, as far as the new school is concerned, I have no objections.

“My objections are regarding where it is and the installation of traffic lights at the roundabout which is very close to my house.

“I am concerned that, if it is a pedestrian crossing, we are going to get noise pollution and additional pollution caused by standing traffic at the lights.

“But I need to take these matters up with East Ayrshire Council. I had mentioned them at a meeting several months ago, but got no joy.

Project Manager — David Wright: “What we are encouraging at events like this is for the public to come and meet us, introduce ourselves and put faces to names.

“We can tell people where we are and give them our contact details. There have been concerns raised here today and I am going to go away and get some answers to any matters which are within my remit.

“These are mainly in connection with the construction activities and I can make people’s lives easier but doing things like reducing noise, do my best to mitigate dust and people parking at houses in the area.

“That was the purpose of myself being at this event. Now I have introduced myself, if people see me on site they can give me shout. I have an open-door policy.”