Major Invesment For Borders Schools

Scottish Borders Council has announced plans to invest £35.6 million in Borders school buildings over the next four years.

The investment will support the programme of new-build and refurbishment already underway.

The proposals are still to be ratified at a special meeting of Scottish Borders Council on Thursday 11 February.

The following schools will benefit:

• Kingsland Primary – Building work is almost complete at Kingsland and pupils will move into their new school on 22 February. Kingsland delivers the second phase in the Primary School programme. The first phase was the completion of Lauder Primary School which opened on December 1 2009.
• Clovenfords Primary – A new-build to replace the current Caddonfoot Primary School. A public inquiry into the issuing of a Compulsory Purchase Order for an access road to the school will take place in May 2010 and building will start as soon as possible following the conclusion of the enquiry. Designs and planning consents are completed.
• West Linton Primary – Plans for this new school are at the land assembly stage. The design process has begun, with a focus on the fact this will be a community school and will be used for many local events and functions. The plans include external sports pitches.
• Halyrude Primary – Tenders will be invited in February this year, with an intention to start the building programme in the spring, once Kingsland Primary pupils move out and into their new school. The refurbished and modernised school will be ready for occupation by the beginning of 2011.
• Tweedbank Primary – Plans for this extension are currently awaiting approval by the Planning and Building Control Committee. Tenders are being sought and are due to be submitted in mid February. Construction is provisionally due to start at the end of March 2010; first phase will be ready for occupation for the beginning of new school session in autumn 2010.
• Duns Primary – This is a new project under the Capital Investment Programme. A business case is being developed to relocate the existing primary school into the old high school building. Funding is split between the Capital Investment programme and a fifty percent grant from the Scottish Government.
  
  
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• Newlands Primary – The Council is working in partnership with the Newlands Community Development Trust (NCDT) on an Integrated Community Hub and Primary School Refurbishment Project. Led by NCDT, the Trust will build the community hub and the Council will refurbish the primary school. Full funding is in place for both elements. On completion, the Council will rent or lease areas of the community hub for school use. This innovative joint working with a local community will enable the Council to deliver School of the Future standards at Newlands. The construction is expected to begin early in 2011.
• Peebles High – This refurbishment project is for enhanced sports facilities. Phase one is an all-weather external games pitch, for which a planning application has been submitted. Phase two is an additional games hall and changing facilities for which plans will soon be submitted.

Councillor Catriona Bhatia, Executive Member for Education, said: "This proposed investment will see some new build schools as well as major refurbishment works carried out - in line with our recent assessment of the schools which were most in need of upgrade or replacement.

"We are also hoping for further announcements on future years' funding from the Scottish Government so we can seek to renew more schools and add to our ambitious programme."

(GK/BMcc)