A new primary school planned for the outskirts of Elgin is expected to be delayed because of escalating costs.
Design work for Findrassie Primary has been stopped while Moray Council reviews the affordability and scope of the project.
The 450-pupil school is part of a development to the north of Elgin that includes 500 houses.
Initial plans for the primary include an additional support needs unit and nursery provision.
The primary was expected to be completed in as early as 2024.
Escalating costs
But that has been pushed back to August 2025.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the education, children’s and leisure services committee this week.
Stopping design work for a review of the project made up one paragraph in the agenda for the committee that ran to 444 pages.
The papers, which are supposed to be made available one week before the meeting, were published a day late on the council’s website.
The delay has been put down to staff pressures.
Head of education resources and communities Jo Shirriffs said design work was being paused because of the project’s “escalating costs”.
She added information was being collated and a full report would go before councillors in January.
Councillor for Elgin North Sandy Keith raised concerns that members had not been informed of the halt to design work until they received the committee papers.
Speaking afterwards Mr Keith said: “This is the first time I’ve been made aware of this.
“It is regrettable that councillors did not know this information.
‘Regrettable’
“The council and the councillors should be working together.
“It’s difficult to deal with questions from the public if you don’t have the information.
“With the break in the design work, I imagine it would have an impact on the time frame for delivering the school.”
He added families were investing money in houses at Findrassie and the council needed to “get it right” when it came to the primary.
Although the school is expected to be built on the outskirts of Elgin, it falls into the Heldon and Laich ward.
However it is expected to be moved into the Elgin North area in the next review of council ward boundaries.
