Highlands in line for £33m high school to replace historic academy

A historic Highland high school is in line for a £33 million replacement.

Highland councillors have selected Inverness Royal Academy as its preferred option in a bid for Scottish Government funding, under its schools for the future initiative.

The council’s adult and children’s services committee considered five project options for the Highlands funding bid, including the replacement of Inverness Royal Academy (IRA).

A report to councillors said: “There is a clear and present pressure on the south side of Inverness, mostly within the IRA catchment area.

“This, together with the poor condition of the IRA, has led to the identification of a replacement for the IRA as a priority project.”

Chairman Alasdair Christie said: “A new school for Inverness Royal Academy is a much-needed facility for pupils and the community of this part of Inverness.

“Not only will a new school allow us to provide state-of-the-art educational facilities but also meet equalities legislation and provide an energy-efficient, sustainable facility for the future.

“It is also good news for the construction industry in these challenging times.”

Highland Council’s contribution to the new school would be £17.4m, a mixture of capital and revenue funding, with a potential contribution of £16m from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government will decide by the end of September whether the council’s bid has been successful.

The remaining four projects will be reviewed.

These include a campus for Alness Academy, a joint secondary school for Alness and Invergordon, a campus for Tain Royal Academy, and a campus for ­Invergordon.