Government cash to build five schools is secured

SCOTTISH Government funding has been secured for five schools to be built in Tayside and Fife.

Education secretary John Swinney revealed money has been granted to replace Monifieth, Inverkeithing and Perth high schools, merge Braveview Academy and Craigie High, in Dundee, and build a new primary school in Perth.

The cash will come from the £1 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme which aims to benefit about 50,000 pupils across Scotland by the end of the next parliament, by building digitally enabled, low-carbon schools and campuses.

In Dundee, up to 50% of the cost of the proposed merger between Braeview and Craigie will be contributed if the £60 million project is agreed.

Formal consultation has already been carried out on the proposal which will be considered by Dundee City Council’s children and families service committee next year.

Committee convener Stewart Hunter said: “Confirmation that a major part of the financial jigsaw would be available should this be approved is great news.

“We have carried out a thorough consultation on the proposal to close both current buildings and replace them with a new secondary school and community learning campus.

“I believe this ambitious plan would help us transform secondary education in areas of the city facing significant challenges with poverty.”

Elsewhere, Angus Council has successfully secured funding for the proposed £50m building to replace the current Monifieth High.

The building was described as having the “biggest problems” in the region by one councillor, with inefficient heating systems, limited accessibility and poor ventilation among the issues.

A refurbishment and expansion of the current building is still under consideration, but that could cost up to £5m.

The council hopes the new school could be completed by summer 2025.

Welcoming the news, convener of children and learning Councillor Derek Wann said: “We are delighted we have been given the go-ahead to progress with a new building for Monifieth High.

“We will draw on our previous experience of delivering new build secondary schools in Brechin and Forfar to maximise the opportunity this provides.”

A new Perth High School building and a replacement for North Muirton and Balhousie primary schools were also included in the funding announcement.

Perth and Kinross Council will receive 50% of the total capital cost of building over 25 years.

Council money for the projects was approved on September 30.

The new Perth High will cost approximately £58.5m and the new, as yet unnamed primary, will be around £16.5m.

The new Perth High is expected to open in 2024 while the new primary is scheduled for 2023.

Councillor Murray Lyle said: “As well as providing new, modern learning and teaching environments, both the new Perth High and the replacement for North Muirton and Balhousie primary schools will be built to Passivhaus construction standards helping us meet our target of zero carbon emissions by 2045.”

In Fife it is estimated a new build Inverkeithing High, which would accommodate about 2,000 pupils, will cost approximately £85m.

Last month, Fleet Grounds at Rosyth (site 10) was chosen as the preferred location for the replacing the Hillend Road school, which is in poor condition.