Aberdeenshire Council is preparing to formally submit plans for the new £71 million Peterhead community campus five years after the proposal first came to light.

But before the planning application is lodged, the local authority will kick-off a 12-week consultation period for residents to have their say on the new facility.

Three public drop-in sessions are scheduled to take place in April and May to give parents, carers and the wider public the chance to give their feedback.

Council staff and members of the project team will be on hand to answer any queries that may arise.

Information boards are expected to feature at the events to show the journey the campus project has taken so far.

A questionnaire will be available for attendees to fill out and they will be encouraged to leave comments, suggestions, concerns or questions they may have.

Aberdeenshire Council will also set up a dedicated website and email address for the campus project at the end of March.

Meanwhile a targeted social media campaign and leaflet drop will be carried out in April.

The public consultation process is expected to end on June 2.

Any responses given will be considered by the council and could help to shape the planning application which is expected to be submitted “later this year”.

Plans for the Kinmundy site were first formed in 2018 and councillors approved the business case for the site back in April 2021.

It is expected to have capacity for 1,400 secondary pupils and 600 primary children.

The campus will house the new Peterhead Academy while Anna Ritchie School will also be relocated from its current site on Grange Gardens.

Dales Park and Meethill Schools will merge and form a brand new school on the campus site.

Plans for the merger were approved back in August 2021 despite worried parents raising concerns children would have to cross the busy Meethill Road to get to school.

The site is also expected to feature new state-of-the-art facilities including a swimming pool and fitness suite, as well as theatre and community spaces.

Earlier this year, Aberdeenshire Council revealed contractors were due to start work on the technical designs of the project.

It is hoped the Peterhead Community Campus will be completed in March 2026.

Peterhead Community Campus plans to be formally submitted by Aberdeenshire Council