Three sites on shortlist for Portobello school

A SHORTLIST of three possible sites for a new Portobello High School will go before city leaders in two weeks' time.

But controversial plans to build the new school on top of the 150-year-old Portobello Golf Course remain the preferred option of the council and the school board, because it is the cheapest option.

The plans sparked controversy last year when Portobello Park, home of the nine-hole golf course, was mooted as the main contender for the new school. Residents, club members and local sports organisations all rallied against the plans to replace the crumbling Portobello High and adjacent St John's Primary with a new building in the park.

But Councillor Ian Perry told a packed meeting of the Portobello Park Action Group (PPAG) last night that two other options had been identified, including land at The Jewel and at Cavalry Park sports fields. All three options will be considered by the city council on May 4. And he also insisted that other options for rebuilding the school remained on the table, including a proposal to split Portobello High into two schools.

More than 250 people attended the meeting at Saint Mark's Church on Portobello High Street last night, where Cllr Perry outlined the options still available to the city council. Golf and football clubs who use the park, as well as parents and residents, all gave presentations against the plans to build on Portobello Park.

But another group - Portobello Parents for New Schools - said that the views of only a small minority in the community were put forward at the meeting, with the majority of those in attendance being elderly local residents.

They heard that a list of nine possible locations had been narrowed down to three - with sites such as the Scottish Power building and the Freight Line Terminal being judged too small. Others, such as the Lothian Regional Transport Depot, were expected to be too expensive because the council does not own the land, unlike at Portobello Park.

Cllr Perry said: "We are looking for ten acres. If we own the land, it costs a lot less. The cost at the moment is already in excess of 40 million. Any land that we need to buy will put that cost up.

"But we have not made up our minds on an exact location yet, we are open to consultation. We have also not yet dismissed the possibility of two schools."

Ros Sutherland, chair of the PPAG, said: "We aim to preserve Portobello Park as an accessible green space for everyone in Portobello. It is a vital amenity.

David Simpson, of Parents for New Schools, said: "Most parents would be disappointed at the absence of talk about the need for a new school building. A school in a park means that two or three classes are using sports facilities six hours a day. The community also gets to use these facilities."