A councillor has joked that parents should be 'banned' from driving their children to a new primary school, as plans were approved.
The new Whitecraig Primary School, in East Lothian, will mimic a colliery building, using charcoal and copper materials to reflect the local community's mining heritage in a 'bold and innovative' design.
And planners say the two-storey high arrival hall has been inspired by the Scottish Mining Museum’s main function hall.
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The new school received praise from councillors as it was approved at the council's planning committee this week.
But while it has been designed to high eco standards, concerns were raised about the impact of parking around the school, leading council leader Norman Hampshire to bemoan a lack of powers to ban parents from driving children to school.
Discussing the plans to introduce a new junction at the site and double yellow lines, Mr Hampshire, planning convenor, told colleagues: "It would be much better if we could just put a condition in saying you are not allowed to bring a car to bring your kid to school, you have to walk or cycle but we cannot do that."
The new school will replace the current village school which is over 60 years old and was described as at end of life.
Council architect Michael Cernicchiaro told the committee a refit of the current building had been ruled out because it had asbestos and was at "the end of its life".
The new school, which is on a site, to the south west of the current building, pays homage to the mining industry with a range of unique designs including columns of brick colonnades, repetitive windows mimicking colliery architecture, and black, metal corrugated roofing.
In a modern twist charcoal bricks are used with contrasting copper to reference coal mining.
Local ward councillor Colin McGinn said the 'innovative design' of the new school would serve the community and staff well.
And fellow ward member Councillor Andy Forrest, who attended the old school as a boy, said: "The old school served the village well it is where I started my education
"This new school is innovative in that it will hark back to the heritage of the village which is mining."
Scottish Greens Councillor Shona McIntosh described the school as a 'bold and ambitious' in its design.
And she praised sustainability practices being used in the building.
She said: "I think this is the first application on a planning committee I have sat on where a public building has been built to passivhaus (style) standards so that made me really happy, and hopefully it won't be the last time."
The committee unanimously approved the new school planning application with work expected to start in June and plans to open its doors late next year.
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