Parents fighting school closure slam city plans for new nursery

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

COUNCILLORS are set to consider plans for a new nursery to accommodate children from an under-threat primary – three weeks before they make a final decision on whether to close the school.

Parents fighting to keep Drumbrae Primary open said the planning application was just the latest in a long line of "tactics" by education bosses to present the closure as a fait accompli.

The city council is seeking permission to build the new nursery at Clermiston Primary, which is one of the schools that would receive Drumbrae pupils. It has not only angered Drumbrae campaigners. Parents with children at Clermiston Primary also believe the location of the new nursery, which would be closer to the road, would be "an accident waiting to happen".

Luke McCullough, chair of Clermiston's parent council, said: "The site of the proposed nursery is closer to the road than at present. Already, children are known to run from the nursery at collection time and are only just stopped from reaching the road."

The existing nursery at Clermiston is based within the main school building, and creating a new nursery in the school grounds would free up space to accommodate extra pupils from Drumbrae. Michelle Melrose, who has two children at Clermiston, said the planning application, to be considered by councillors today, is another indication that the council has already made up its mind on the future of Drumbrae.

She said: "If this planning application is granted just before the vote, that will go against us when the councillors are making their decision on the closure of Drumbrae. I believe they are using very underhand tactics.

"I'm also worried about all the building work and the location of the new nursery. It would be an accident waiting to happen."

Another parent, Lisa Scott, added: "There is no requirement for this nursery, particularly if the proposed Drumbrae closure does not go ahead."

Last month, parents accused education bosses of holding a "sham" consultation into the future of a city primary school after it emerged test drilling for foundations for the new nursery had already started. Karen Keil, a member of the Save Drumbrae campaign group, said: "It does make you wonder why they are doing this."

A council spokesman said: "We are not making any assumptions. The planning process takes time and all we are doing here is ensuring that work on the nursery can start promptly if school closures are agreed."

Councillors will make a decision on whether or not to close Drumbrae – as well as Fort, Burdiehouse and Royston primaries – on December 17.