School plan takes major step forward
Public consultation to start
Plans for a new state-of-theart Wellbeing Hub and Lochies School have taken another major step forward.
Clackmannanshire councillors heard at a meeting on Thursday that the formal preapplication has now been submitted to the planning authority, starting the formal statutory public consultation process, with pre-application consultation (PAC) events to be run throughout March and April.
Events took place at Alloa Town Hall on Wednesday and Tillicoultry Primary School yesterday (Thursday). There will also be public consultation events at Alloa Town Hall on Tuesday, April 16 from 3-7pm and Tillicoultry Primary School on Thursday, April 18 from 3.30pm to 7pm.
There is also a virtual ‘town hall’ so members of the public can review documents and leave comments and feedback online.
This can be accessed at https://www.eyesiteview.uk/vpc/cc/alloawest-pan.
Councillors also heard an outline construction programme and phasing strategy are expected from the contractor and Hubco at the end of April 2024.
There was also an update on the design competition, organised as part of a partnership with the Futures Institute at Dollar Academy (FIDA), to encourage secondary-age pupils to design an outdoor space at the Wellbeing Hub and Lochies School site.
The judging panel met at the start of February to review the submissions.
The panel was made up from representatives from the council’s project team, JM Architects, Rankin Fraser, Robertson’s, FIDA and Councillor Scott Harrison.
There was a particularly strong response from Alloa Academy, which offers an National Progression Award in the Built Environment and the school is now being offered the opportunity to host a planned half-day workshop, where eight shortlisted candidates will meet and work with members of the design team to explore how their ideas could be further developed.
From this, one overall winning candidate or group will be selected for a further work-shadowing or mentoring opportunity with the design team.
Councillor Scott Harrison, spokesperson for sports, leisure and active living, said: “I welcome the further progress this exciting project has made.
“I am particularly looking forward to sharing our enthusiasm for the project at our engagement events over the coming weeks and of course hearing what our residents think of the Wellbeing Hub and new Lochies School.
“I’d also like to offer my congratulations to the pupils of Alloa Academy for their success in the design competition, as well as acknowledge the high standards set by all the entrants, which made judging a difficult task.”
The Wellbeing Hub, which will include swimming pools, is to be built alongside a new Lochies School for children and young people with severe and complex needs, at The Pavilions in Alloa West.
The project is being managed for Clackmannanshire Council by hub East Central Scotland with Robertson as the main contractor, JM Architects, Blyth & Blyth civil and structural engineers and Bakerhicks mechanical and electrical engineers.
For updates on the progress of the development visit the dedicated website https://www.clacks.gov.uk/leisure/wellbeing or email wellbeinghub@clacks.gov.uk