Two primary schools in East Renfrewshire could be replaced if funding bids to the Scottish Government are successful.
Money will be requested to rebuild Carolside Primary, Clarkston, and Cross Arthurlie Primary, Barrhead, as they are the council’s “top priority” for improvements.
Carolside will be prioritised for investment in the application process as it is in the “worst condition”. That project is estimated to cost £54m while work at Cross Arthurlie has been priced at £34m.
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Council leader Owen O’Donnell, Labour, said the programme offered “exciting opportunities for the local communities”, but added: “We can’t get too carried away with ourselves, this is a bid for these schools, and we need to be successful in those bids.”
He said Carolside Primary had been prioritised “purely because it has been on our watchlist for the longest, it is the school that has been in the worst condition”.
The bids will be submitted to the Scottish Government after councillors agreed to request funding, up to 50% of the total costs, from a learning estate improvement programme. Costings have been based on a 2026 completion date.
Under the scheme, councils are “required to fund upfront the delivery of the new or refurbished assets through capital investment with up to 50% of the capital cost being returned via revenue funding”. East Renfrewshire would borrow the money for the new-builds.
A council report added the schools are two of four identified by the council as “most in need of refurbishment or replacing”. The other two are Mearns Castle and Woodfarm high schools.
“Carolside and Cross Arthurlie are currently the primary school buildings with the highest priority where their suitability and condition are in need of investment,” officials reported.
“Options appraisals have also considered the impact on children currently attending each school, and where possible, options have been developed where children can continue to learn in the school, or have to be educated in temporary decant facilities on site.
“Given the demands for sufficiency of places on East Renfrewshire’s schools, there are no options to decant to an alternative school whilst building works take place.”
Officials believe a new school building will “bring significant advantages to both communities”. They would include all-weather outdoor sports facilities.
Cllr Annette Ireland, SNP, said: “I welcome the focus on Carolside, I know it’s been on the list of ones that really needed work.
“It’s just a wonderful local school, it’s got a fantastic headteacher, they work absolutely tirelessly to ensure pupils have a wonderful learning experience there.”
She also welcomed the news that a replacement would be built on the current school site.
Cllr Kate Campbell, Conservative, said she was “thrilled that Carolside is going to get fixed”. “It’s long overdue and it’s really tremendously exciting.
“Carolside was the school my daughter was at, so I’m very aware of all the workings of it and what a great staff there is at Carolside. It’s a delight that this is going to hopefully go ahead.”
The programme previously helped the council progress plans for a new leisure and learning campus in Neilston, with construction now underway.
It is now the third phase of the scheme and bids will be reviewed by the Scottish Government, Scottish Futures Trust, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities [COSLA] and council representative groups.
Submissions need to be sent by October 31 and final project selection, expected by the end of the calendar year, rests with Scottish Ministers.
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