Plans to relocate an Aberdeenshire school to a new £71 million community campus could be approved by councillors next week.
Last month, members of the Buchan area committee strongly endorsed proposals for Aberdeenshire Council to move Peterhead Academy from its current site on Prince Street to a new home on Kinmundy Road.
If approved, the 1,400-pupil intergenerational campus would cater to those aged three to 18 years old and have the potential to include care homes and other facilities.
Under the plans, which have been recommended for the approval of the education committee by officers, teaching at the current Peterhead Academy would stop from July 2025 and all future pupils from the school’s catchment area would continue learning at the new Kinmundy site.
An eight-week consultation on the proposed move was held last October, and although it found the majority of respondents were in favour of building a new school for Peterhead’s youngsters, concerns were also raised about the loss of lunchtime trade in the town centre brought about by pupils leaving Prince Street.
Traffic concerns were also raised.
But officers have now formally recommended the council’s education committee back the proposal to relocate it to the west of the town.
A report by Laurence Findlay, the director of education and children’s services for Aberdeenshire Council, said that any loss of cash for businesses in part of Peterhead will instead be moved elsewhere in the community and argued about the importance of young people’s education.
It said: “It was recognised that the project is a significant investment into the town.
“The revenue lost in some parts of the town can be retrieved in other parts of Peterhead which, as a result, will not be lost for the town.
“The decision on the education and subsequent educational benefits for young people across Peterhead should not be overshadowed by business requirements.”
The report added: “As the condition of the current academy is deteriorating, there is a strong need for the academy to be replaced with a modern and fit for purpose building.
“The Kinmundy site has been defined as the best and only possible option which will not cause disruption to present academy pupils during construction works.
“There are some issues which need to be addressed, but with the completion date of August, 2025, the council has five years to put required mitigating measures in place to diminish any disadvantages flagged up during the engagement and consultation period.”
