A £17million solution to the overcrowding crisis in Moray schools was announced yesterday, with four communities in line for extra classrooms.
Moray Council unveiled plans to upgrade Applegrove in Forres, Millbank in Buckie, Seafield in Elgin and St Gerardine in Lossiemouth.
The refurbishments will begin during the summer break and are scheduled to be completed by spring 2017, with each school remaining operational throughout that time.
The work will focus on upgrading the existing buildings with new roofing, windows and doors, improved insulation, new toilets and completely modernised heating and wiring.
Four classrooms at Millbank and additional teaching areas at Seafield and St Gerardine will house pupils during the upheaval and will remain in place after the work finishes.
Elgin City North councillor Kirsty Reid was involved in the planning of the refurbishment to Seafield primary, and last night hailed the move.
She said: “The maintenance should go a way to helping with the capacity issues in the area, as the plans include space for six extra classrooms altogether.
“It depends on how things go forward, but increasing capacity in the Seafield zone would certainly be welcome.
“The schools were all rated recently and these four were all deemed to be in particular need of upgrading.
“Seafield just appointed a new head teacher and I’m sure the school will welcome this development.”
Recently published council figures indicated that, as things stand, Seafield Primary will be 132% over capacity by 2021 . Its catchment area is currently subject to rezoning consultations.
Buckie’s Millbank primary will have four new permanent classrooms added. Its head teacher said the move would help to address capacity issues as the town expands.
Rosemary Garrity said: “It will make a huge difference to us, as the improvements will mean we have to spend less of our budget on energy.
“We will benefit from four new teaching areas, and the nursery will move into the school.
“We will need those classrooms in the future so having them already there to accommodate an increased school roll will be a great boon to Millbank.”
Head teacher at Forres’s Applegrove primary school Lesley Meehan said pupils would be thrilled with the upgrades.
She said: “We have been looking forward to this happening so it’s good to know there’s now a plan in place for the work.
“This is an old building and our heating can be patchy, so it will make a big difference to us having the school warm the whole way through.
“We appreciate it will take a lot of work and things will be up in the air for a bit, but the result will be worth it.”
Mrs Meehan said she would discuss the details of the work with pupils today, and planned to meet parents later in the term.
The refurbishment has been funded by a £10 million Scottish Government grant, with the remainder being provided by Moray Council,.
The contract has been awarded to Galliford Try, parent company of Morrison Construction.
Staff will join the council’s design team in submitting planning applications for each of the schools, paving the way for work to start this summer.
The first application is due to be submitted this week.
Morrison Construction recently carried out the £1.2million refurbishment of Elgin Town Hall and the construction of Moray’s flood alleviation schemes.