Crieff primary school plan is shelved

Feb 19 2010 by Alison Lowson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PLANS for a new primary school in Crieff have been shelved until at least 2015.

Despite Perth and Kinross Council allocating over £5 million for a new school in the town, rising costs have led PKC to delay allocating more funding to the project.

In last week’s budget report, it stated that despite initially putting aside £5.56 million towards a new school, the head of the education and children’s service department requested an additional £5 million. This figure has now risen to £8 million, bringing the total estimated cost of the new school to over £13 million, which is outwith the council’s resources.

The report states that the council will look at allocating additional resources in 2015/16.

It also says: “The full budget for Crieff Primary School will also be re-phased accordingly as the project develops further next year.”

A council spokesperson said: “The provision of a new primary school in Crieff remains a priority for the council.

“A budget of £5m has already been allocated to the project, and this will be added to appropriately in future.”

In 2006, a development brief was created by Perth and Kinross Council, which showed that a new primary school would be created in land between the new Strathearn Community Campus, and land at Duchlage Farm.

The land had been earmarked for a supermarket.