Consultation on a fourth new school set to be built in a West Lothian village that has seen the development of thousands of new homes is set to start.
Winchburgh has already seen two new secondary schools and a Catholic Primary built, as the village grows to a small town.
This month’s meeting of West Lothian’s Education Executive gave the go ahead for launch of a consultation on a new non- denominational primary kick-starting the development of what will be the 68th primary school in the county.
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A site for the new primary school at Hawkhill within the Winchburgh masterplan was identified in the 2018 council’s Local Development Plan. It will be in the southern half of the new housing development.
The site allows for children from the entire Hawkhill housing development and those children from a smaller number of existing homes in the vicinity to be educated at a new non-denominational primary school in the development area.
The new school will be fully funded from developer contributions as part of a Section 75 planning agreement.
The proposal includes the creation of a primary school to accommodate 231 children. The new school will have a flexible design that will allow for future expansion. A 42-place nursery will be part of the proposed development.
Winchburgh, once a small village of around 2,000, was at the heart of the shale mining industry. Within ten years the village will become a town of more than 12,000 as it transforms with thousands of new homes, links to the M9 motorway and a marina at the centre of leisure facilities based around new parkland and the Union Canal. Around 3,500 new homes will eventually be built in the area.
A report to the Education Executive said: “A key aim of the proposal is delivery of an efficient, sustainable learning establishment ensuring the new school is flexible and allows the creative and multiple use of spaces by staff, pupils and the community.
“In relation to development schedules the current intention is to commence construction on site in 2024 with an intimated delivery of August 2025.”
The consultation will incorporate 30 school days (excluding any school holiday) from Monday, 24 April, 2023, until Friday, 9 June, 2023. The consultation paper will be made available electronically and in paper format.
A public meeting will be held in Winchburgh Primary School, Glendevon Park Winchburgh, West Lothian, EH52 6UE, on Monday 29 May 2023.
During the consultation any views should be sent in writing to: Catherine Campbell, Senior Education Project Officer, Education Services, Civic Centre, Howden Road South, EH54 6FF.
Responses can also be made by e-mail to Education.Consultation@westlothian.gov.uk
An on-line version of items related to the consultation can be found on the West Lothian Council website using this link: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/49192/Schools-and-Education-Open-Consultations
The result of the public consultation will come back to the September meeting of the Education Executive, with plans proceeding from there.
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