Plan for temporary classrooms at Bucksburn Academy slammed

By David Proctor

July 26 2022, 5:00 pm

Bucksburn Academy opened its doors in 2009.

Community leaders have slammed proposals for temporary classrooms in an overcrowded Aberdeen school.

Council education chiefs want to erect a two-storey, eight-classroom unit for 240 pupils to help ease congestion at Bucksburn Academy.

According to planning documents, the projected school roll for 2026 is 945 pupils, but this could be reached by 2024.

The planning report said the units would be in place for five years while “proposals are finalised for a longer-term solution”.

It added that a permanent extension is included in the city council’s capital plan. However, this is yet to be approved.

How the temporary classroom at Bucksburn Academy could look. Image by Shutterstock.

Bucksburn community council unhappy

Charles Shepherd from Bucksburn Community Council is “disappointed” with the idea of temporary classrooms.

Writing as part of the planning application response, he raised the issue of overcrowding with Aberdeen City Council bosses.

Bucksburn Academy during its construction. It opened in 2009. Picture by Simon Walton.

Mr Shepherd said: “Too often temporary accommodation becomes part of the school and remains well beyond the normal lifetime of such accommodation.

“Accordingly, I would ask that permanent accommodation is provided. The school accommodates young people not only from our area but also from Kingswells and Countesswells. The extensive house building in Bucksburn will surely mean that permanent extra classes are necessary.”

Call for time limit

Another objector, Bill Harrison, called for shorter time limits on the temporary structures being used.

He wrote: “Although I appreciate the need for emergency teaching space at Bucksburn Academy, if permission is granted, I suggest a three-year time limit for these structures, after which they must be removed.”

Despite the objections being posted alongside the planning application for the temporary classrooms, the council’s roads department said it had no objections.

The planning report said that a 330-pupil extension at Bucksburn Academy is likely to be needed permanently.

Bucksburn Academy opened in 2009.

Our recent investigation into school spending showed that Aberdeen City Council had spent the least on school infrastructure during the last decade than any other council in the north and north-east.