A very interesting meeting of the Hillside stakeholders group. Community representatives received an update on progress with the new primary school from council officers. Also present were two Stewart Milne staff.
There are still some outstanding issues but overall progress is now being made. A third party land ownership issue has now been resolved. Stewart Milne will start work next week on upgrading the road outside the new school (at the former chicken sheds). This work will take 12 weeks, including a four week closure of the road. Once that is completed heavy equipment can move on to the school site to begin construction. That should be at the end of September/early October.
Meanwhile the admission process for new pupils will start in January. The council will advertise for staff, with the head teacher being appointed in June 2016. The P1 Hillside pupils will probably be taught at Fishermoss with dedicated Hillside teachers until the new school is ready. These arrangements will be discussed with parents, and a public meeting will be held in August or September to hear parents’ views.
There is much still to be discussed, including the name of the new school and when the school will open which is now likely to be in January 2017, as previously forecast.
Lastly, the associated all weather pitch will be operational and grass pitches complete west of the school in April 2017. Grass pitches will be operational in April 2018.