Abigroup, as part of the Axiom Education Victoria consortium, has built five new schools across the greater metropolitan Melbourne area.

The new schools which opened this year are Alkira Secondary College in Cranbourne North Cranbourne Carlisle, Derrimut and Taylors Hill primary schools and Point Cook P-9 College.

The opening of the five new schools represents the completion of the first half of the Partnerships Victoria in Schools Project which will see 11 schools in all built by Abigroup through a Public Private Partnership with the Victorian State Government.

The other six schools in the Project, which are due to open in January 2011, are: Craigieburn West Primary School; Cranbourne East P-12 School; Kororoit Creek Primary School; Lyndhurst Primary School; Mernda Central Primary School; and Truganina South Primary School.

As well as Abigroup, the Axiom Education Victoria consortium consists of sponsor Royal Bank of Scotland, architects Hayball and Gray Puksand and facilities manager United Group Services.

The consortium is responsible for the design, build, finance and maintenance of the new schools for a 26-year period.