The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Ukraine war hits construction of new high school
The war in Ukraine is being said to have impacted progress with the construction of the new Perth High School.
A council committee has been told the opening date of Perth High’s new school building might be pushed back from August 2024 to December 2024/early 2025 but this has yet to be confirmed.
Councillors were told the war – alongside Brexit and the pandemic – was causing issues with supply and prices.
Perth and Kinross Council’s head of business and resources, Greg Boland, provided an update at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s property sub-committee on Monday.
Plans for the £68.7 million rebuild – built to Passivhaus standards – were approved by the council’s planning committee in March. Half of the costs will be funded by the Scottish Government Learning Estate Investment Programme.
He told the committee: “We’re aware of challenges we face within the construction industry – the implications of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and also currently the war in Ukraine which is causing a lot of issues regarding supply, tender prices and material prices. And that’s being felt across the whole of the country.”
Convener Grant Laing asked how the Scottish Government funding
would be awarded. Mr Boland explained: “Following the completion of the new Perth High School the council will receive a revenue contribution over 25 years to the value of 50% of the capital cost.”
The funding is based on the council meeting specified targets which include energy expectations and digital technology.
Tory Highland Perthshire councillor John Duff asked for further detail on the expected timeline.
Officers confirmed they would hope work to begin on site by the end of 2022.
SNP Perth City Centre councillor Eric Drysdale asked if there was a revised forecast date for the school being operational.
Mr Boland said: “Until we reach financial close – we will have a revised programme agreed with our contractor at that point – then I’ll be able to confirm what that programme is.
“At this point we are anticipating round about late December 2024/early 2025 as a target completion date.”