Grand designs for future of decrepit Gillespie's school

Published on Thursday 7 May 2009 09:44

DESIGN work is to begin on a new James Gillespie's High School, despite no funds being available to build the school.

In a bid to get the long-awaited project off the ground as soon as possible, the council has announced that initial design work on rebuilding the Marchmont school will begin in January.

Work began last month on the design for the new 41.5 million Portobello High School, but it will take 15 years to deliver the remaining "wave three" schools – Gillespie's and Boroughmuir highs, along with St John's Primary and St Crispin's Special School – because of a funding gap.

However, 1.5m has now been identified to bring James Gillespie's through to the planning stage so that as soon as the funding – thought to be a similar figure to that of the Portobello building – becomes available building work can commence.

City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "We are delighted that our current budgets will allow us to make an early start on the designs for a new school at James Gillespie's.

"We are playing our part by spending nearly a quarter of a billion pounds on improving our schools and building new ones, but to make James Gillespie's and other projects happen quicker, we need more government support."

Councillor MacLaren made the announcement at the opening of Flora Stevenson Primary School's 2.5m extension yesterday. The Comely Bank school's new music centre, gym hall and dining hall have been completed as part of the council's ongoing 239m schools investment programme.

Councillor MacLaren added: "Our major new school building programme continues alongside a sustained investment in the improvement of the fabric of our existing school buildings.

"Budgets may be tight but we are making best use of the money available by prioritising investment in quality education facilities."

The 2008-11 capital investment programme for Children and Families includes 4,236,000 over three years for improvements to existing buildings.

Priority projects with a value of 912,000 were carried out during 2008-9. The coming year will see almost 2.2m invested in existing schools across the city.

Projects with a value of 2,174,000, ranging from roof and stonework repairs to new dining halls and heating systems, will be carried out during 2009-10.

Two further projects to improve accessibility at Davidson's Mains and Stenhouse primaries are currently at design stage and are set to start on site in 2009-10.

LET'S GET TO WORK

A total of 2,174,000 will be spent on improving the following school buildings in the city in 2009-10:

Calderglen Nursery School: security fencing

Carrick Knowe Community Centre: Tarmac

Corstorphine Primary School: new dining facilities

Craigentinny Community Centre: heating work

Craiglockhart Primary School: roofing work

Ferryhill Primary School: boiler replacement

Gylemuir Primary School: roofing work

Gracemount Youth Centre: roofing and ceilings

Hailesland Children and Families Centre: security measures

Kaimes Special School: ventilation work

Leith Primary School: roofing work/stonework repairs

Liberton Nursery School: stonework

Lorne Street Primary School: boundary wall stonework

Murrayburn Primary School: lintel repairs and toilet upgrade

Prospect Bank Special School: external works

Queensferry Primary School Nursery: annexe heating

Ratho Primary School: completion of roofing work

Roseburn Primary School: rewiring

Sighthill Primary School: boiler replacement/roofing work

Sighthill Children's Centre: heating work

South Morningside Primary School: roofing/stonework repairs/ boundary wall stonework

St Leonard's Nursery School: playground drainage

St Marks Primary School: door and window replacements/ toilet upgrade

St Thomas of Aquins RC High School: miscellaneous works

Stenhouse Children and Families Centre: toilet upgrade

Wellington School: heating work