Highland Council to hold public consultation over plan for shared new school site in Dingwall, Ross-shire
Plans to build a new St Clement’s School and new Dingwall primary on a shared site in Ross-shire’s county town will go to public consultation after councillors agreed to move ahead with the concept.
Members of the Education Committee this week approved the recommendation to explore a “shared site with enhanced community facilities”.
A public meeting will now be held on Wednesday, July 2 to discuss the council’s proposal. There will also be the opportunity for people to submit views to the council ahead of the meeting and subsequently prior to any final recommendation and decision being made.
The moves follow a meeting of the full Highland Council back in March where members unanimously agreed investment priorities for the first phase of The Highland Investment Plan (HIP) - including a recommendation to co-locate St Clement’s and Dingwall Primary schools at a new Dingwall Community Point of Delivery (POD) site.
The council believes this will provide “the greatest educational benefits for pupils of both schools, and the maximum economic benefit for the wider community”.
However, the proposal to relocate St Clement’s School alongside a new Dingwall Primary School on a shared site needs to undergo a statutory consultation.
Education Committee chairman, Cllr John Finlayson, said: “The commitment to build a new school that retains the school’s unique identity has been endorsed by Committee today. The Highland Investment Plan offers an exciting co-location option that has even greater benefits for our young learners than any other previously proposed.
“The strong collaborative working between St Clement’s School, Dingwall Primary and the wider Dingwall community has always played an integral part in our young people’s learning journey. Co-locating will enhance inclusion and equitable opportunities for success, providing the best learning environments for all our children.
“It will increase opportunities for pupils with a disability to participate in wider curriculum and social opportunities, whilst ensuring specialist support and facilities are tailored to individual needs in their own individually designed standalone school and associated outdoor spaces.
“A statutory consultation will now be undertaken for the proposed new site for St Clement’s School.”
The consultation will begin on Monday (June 9) and will end on October 3. This period allows for the statutory minimum of six weeks, including at least 30 school days.
A public meeting will be held at 6:30pm on Wednesday, July 2 at St Clement’s School with an opportunity to attend virtually for those unable to be there in person.
A consultant architect with experience of designing special schools and additional support needs facilities has been engaged to assist with the development of the new St Clement’s School project brief and initial floor plans and external layouts have been prepared.
A series of design workshops will be held with stakeholder groups in the coming weeks to establish a “clear vision” for the new school. The council argues that this will ensure that it provides “first-rate facilities to meet the needs of every child that will attend St Clement’s in the future and maximise the benefits to be realised”.
