Old school could be gone by spring

Plans to demolish a former Aberdeen primary school have taken a big step with a £120,000 contract being offered for a firm to flatten the building.

Bucksburn Primary closed in 2013 after it was deemed surplus to requirements by council bosses who now want to reduce it to rubble and sell off the land.

It merged with the nearby Newhills School to form Brimmond Primary.

The disused building, off Inverurie Road, has lain empty since and the hope is to carry out the demolition in spring.

The £120,000 works will include tearing down the former school, nursery and outbuildings and removing all external fences, gates and play equipment.

Once this is complete, the 100,000sq ft site is to be put on the market.

Aberdeen City Council’s local development plan last year highlighted the site as an option for a new health clinic.

It also made reference to potentially taking advantage of the land for housing or “other compatible uses”.

The report suggested a facility could be built there to replace the current GP clinic which serves Bucksburn and Bankhead, as it is no longer “fit for purpose”.

However, the city’s health and social care partnership later confirmed the idea was no longer being pursued.

Last year, when the council first tabled plans to knock down the building, Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald said it was important locals be consulted on how they would like to see the land used.

He said: “While the local plan mentions healthcare, it also mentions housing and a vague concept of ‘other compatible uses’.

“It is important that the community is given as much involvement in any future plans, to ensure that they meet their aspirations for the Bucksburn area.”

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the old Stoneywood Primary School in the city will also be torn down.

The school, on Stoneywood Road, has been sitting empty since June 2018, after pupils finished up for the summer holidays and moved to new premises.

A decision was also made earlier this year that Cordyce School in neighbouring Dyce would be demolished after it was hit by fire in 2017.

Meanwhile, a contract was also tendered for a major project at the city’s Foresterhill Health Campus.

The initiative aims to put hospital visitors at ease, with NHS Grampian having previously said that making the hospital environment greener would help change the notion health facilities should be associated with “illness” and “fear”.

NHS Grampian secured funding in 2017 for the project to help staff, visitors and neighbours of the site.

Hundreds of trees, extensive landscaping and new recreational areas will be added as part of the £1.65 million project.

New paths will create a better network across the area and water storage bas ins reduce flooding.

The precise location is between the central stores complex to the east and the Foresterhill Health Centre to the west.

The project is 60% funded by NHS Grampian Endowments and 40% by an EU grant.

NOT NEEDED: Bucksburn Primary School closed in 2013 and is now to be knocked down and the site sold off.