Capacity concerns raised over new school

Councillors have raised concerns about the capacity of the proposed new Peterhead Academy.

The issue was raised as the education and children’s services committee agreed to authorise a public consultation on the relocation of the school to a site at Kinmundy.

Papers for the meeting revealed pupils could move into the Peterhead Community Campus as soon as August 2025 if all plans are passed.

But local councillor Alan Fakley drew attention to the consultation document which states “the new

“Is the new academy big enough?

Peterhead Community Campus will be built with a capacity of 1,400 secondary pupils”.

The following page lists the predicted roll by 2025 as 1,454.

Addressing the issue of new housing developments, he asked officers: “Is the new academy big enough?”

Planning officials said the figures take into consideration the Peterhead development plan, the design was yet to be finalised, and the space would be “flexible enough” to accommodate some expansion.

Councillor Martin Ford reflected on Kintore Primary, claiming it was “overcrowded within three years and grossly overcrowded within 10”.

He said: “For goodness sake, please don’t publish this as is or we will all look stupid. Can we have it amended so the capacity goes with what the current forecast suggests?”

The committee agreed to follow the recommendations, authorising a public consultation and calling for a report on the outcomes to be presented in spring 2020.