Council confirms date for closure of one of city’s oldest schools

Crumbling Balhousie Primary to be replaced with new-build in 2022

Council chiefs have set a date for the planned closure of one of Perth’s oldest schools.

Crumbling Balhousie Primary is in line for the chop, with all pupils likely to be moved to a £14 million new-build at North Muirton.

Councillors voted to press ahead with the controversial plan in January, despite a last-ditch plea by local SNP members.

The council has set the ball rolling on a consultation exercise, to give parents and other members of the community the chance to have a say on the closure plan.

If approved, the school will close on July 31 2022. The local authority aims to have the new North Muirton building ready for use after the summer break that year.

Two public meetings will be held to discuss the proposal as part of the three-month consultation, which gets under way today. The meetings will be held on Tuesday April 24, and May 1, although times and venues have yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, mothballed Forteviot School is also closing as part of the estates review. The council plans to shut the school at the end of June next year.

This week councillors will discuss the next stage of the shake-up, including the proposed closure of Logiealmond Primary.

The parent council has said there is “huge support” to retain the facility.

Local SNP MP Pete Wishart hit out at the council’s Tory-led administration over the planned closures. He said parents on the review list “should now be very concerned”.

“I have been having meetings with parents right across Perth and Kinross on this closure programme,” he said.

“What I have found are communities committed to their schools with solid ideas to build their roles and diversify activities. It’s just a pity that this Tory council is deaf to these calls.”

The council’s lifelong learning committee heard the Edwardian-era Balhousie Primary was in desperate need of improvements which could cost up to £5.7m.

A report to councillors noted that more than 200 primary-age pupils in the Balhousie catchment area went to school elsewhere.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Balhousie Primary in Perth needs up to £5.7m of improvement works.

Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart has attacked the Tory-led council over its plans for school closures.