Portobello High School timetable speeds up

THE long-awaited replacement Portobello High School could be open as early as 2013 - six months ahead of the original target, it has emerged.

A new report reveals that the school's management has asked the council to bring forward the completion date so that pupils can move into the new building after the summer holidays, in August 2013, instead of the following January.

Council bosses have received an "unprecedented level of interest" from construction companies wanting to carry out the work, with 22 submissions having been made.

Six companies have been shortlisted for the contract for the 41.5 million school, to be built on Portobello Park - Bovis, Balfour Beatty, Graham Construction, BAM Construction, Laing O'Rourke and Morrison.

Education director Gillian Tee said: "All are well-known companies with strong track records and we are confident the successful contractor will help us to achieve a very high quality building and local environment."

Building work is set to start on site in November and education chiefs have set the earlier date as a target for the contractors who now have to submit their tender returns.

However, before contractors move in, an archaeological investigation will have to be carried out on ten per cent on the park and a power cable which runs across the site will need to be removed.

Councillors voted through plans for the new school in February, despite pleas from campaigners opposed to building on Portobello Park.

Portobello is one of three city high schools being replaced in the next few years.

While Portobello is being funded solely by the city council, James Gillespie's and Boroughmuir are being part-funded through the Scottish Government's school rebuilding programme.

Designs for the new James Gillespie's High are being finalised and will be made public later this month before a planning application is submitted in July.

Discussions are still ongoing between the council and Scottish Government on the funding model for the school.

It is hoped the new school will be competed by July 2015.However, education bosses say this is "heavily contingent" on the funding method.

Education bosses are yet to confirm whether Boroughmuir's existing building will be refurbished or whether the school will move to a new site.

Ms Tee said identification of alternative sites was "at an advanced stage" and a report on the way forward for the school is set to be presented to councillors in September.

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, the city's education leader, said: "These new school developments are the flagships of our ongoing drive to make huge improvements to Edinburgh's educational infrastructure.

"Last week we announced 7m of upgrades to many schools across the city to maintain the quality of the estate and these much-needed new buildings will have a huge impact on the pupil learning experience and on local communities."