Approval given for brand new primary
Councillors have unanimously granted planning approval for a replacement school and nursery to be built within the grounds of North Muirton Primary School.
The brand new two-storey school - which has yet to be named - will accommodate pupils from Balhousie Primary and be built to Passivhaus standards.
Building work will begin later this year with the £16.4 million school expected to open to pupils in April 2023.
The stand-alone nursery building at North Muirton PS is being demolished over the summer holidays to make space for the build.
Nursery pupils will be decanted to
Balhousie PS.
And in 2023, once pupils from both schools move into the new primary school building, the existing North Muirton PS will be demolished and the pitch/ greenspace area completed.
The environmentally friendly Passivhaus design allowed PKC to secure 50 per cent of the capital funding from the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme.
The remainder of the project is being funded by the council.
On Wednesday, May 5 PKC’s planning and development management committee was asked to consider the plans.
Councillors on the committee showed unanimous support for the build.
Moving for planning approval,
SNP councillor Richard Watters said: “The development fully meets with the council’s commitment to lead by example in addressing the climate emergency through the employment of the Passivhaus standards within the building.
“The school will provide an excellent learning environment through the design and the employment of the Passivhaus system which provides clear high oxygen air on a continual basis.”
He said this would provide a better learning environment for pupils.
Conservative councillor Michael Barnacle agreed and seconded the motion for approval.
He said: “Everything has been well thought through.”
Conservative convener Roz McCall said: “It’s a fantastic design.
“I think we are going to provide an excellent education facility for young people in the area which is brilliant so I think this is a massive step forward.
“We are going to have a little bit of disruption but you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.
“We are going to have an excellent school at the end of this.”
The new larger school will incorporate the nursery, primary and an assisted support needs section.
The nursery and assisted support needs section will both have their own dedicated outdoor space.