A £30 million project which would see almost half of a West Lothian school demolished and rebuilt has been put forward as the fastest and cheapest option to tackle crumbling concrete in the building.
West Lothian Council’s Executive has backed plans which could see the council asking the Scottish Government to meet a third of the projected £30m bill to replace the CDT block at St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn after aerated concrete, known as RAAC, or Siporex, was found in roof panels.
The school has already had to decant pupils and staff to temporary classrooms following the discovery earlier this year of faulty roof panels.
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Now officials say the best option for the school, which counts Britain’s Got Talent’s Susan Boyle and chart topper Lewis Capaldi as former pupils, is to knock down and start again to give the building another 50 years to its life.
Director of Finance Donald Forrest told councillors that demolition and reconstruction was the preferred option as it was cheaper and work could be done faster. The report suggested that option would cost £30m and be completed in three years ,as opposed to stripping out the RAAC panels and replacing them which would cost £35m and take four years.
The bill would use £20m of council funding including reserves set aside to deal with RAAC and still leave a shortfall of £10m. There are additional costs of £300,000 which will cover the extended use of temporary classrooms for another 12 months. Included in all costs are the cost of temporary decants.
In his report to the Executive Mr Forrest said: “All programme time-scales are based on an approval for a specific option at Council Executive on 3 October 2023 with certain activities tied to school holiday periods. If there is no decision made by this date then occupation linked with new academic terms may be missed and programme durations extended.”
He added: “Option 1 consists of asbestos removal and demolition of the existing RAAC accommodation, dance studio and swimming pool, followed by a new build replacement in a similar location.
“The total area of the RAAC and the dance studio has been allowed for at present for this exercise. It would not be envisaged that there would be any requirement to decant pupils to other sites as the temporary accommodation would be available.”
Other advantages of demolition highlighted in the report include: Better outcomes for education provision, building condition and energy use targets, A more efficient layout reducing running costs and allowing an opportunity to modernise the school and curriculum delivery.
Building on a similar footprint means there is less risk of complex ground conditions as there has already been a building there for almost 50 years. Creating a new wing will provide a better perception for the school.
Councillor Sally Pattle expressed concern about using all the money set aside for RAAC removal on one site. Mr Forrest explained that the council was ahead of local authorities in identifying the problems within its estate and of the nine buildings identified, funded work is already progressing on six.
There are plans to secure 50% of the costs needed for Riverside primary in Craigshill. In Stoneyburn, the eighth site identified, at the community centre, the panels do not require attention.
Councillor Pattle followed up by asking when the Executive would know what the Holyrood response to a plea for £10m would be.
Mr Forrest said council staff had maintained regular contact with the Scottish Government on the RAAC issues West Lothian faced, adding: “If council Executive approves the papers today we will have it into the Scottish Government by tomorrow.”
He added: “Officers do liaise very closely with our Scottish Government counterparts and we have provided them with an ongoing appraisal of the RAAC issues in buildings in West Lothian including schools so officers in the Scottish Government are aware of the situation at St Kentigern’s and are anticipating that there maybe a request arriving at their door shortly.”
A report coming back to the Executive in Autumn will cover the detailed design work that has been undertaken and the number of different options around what the new build will look like. Proposals will also come to that meeting detailing the funding of the project.
Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan said: "I think we are all really mindful of the issues on the staff pupils and wider school community. I do appreciate that it is really early days. Can I ask what the engagement will be as we move through the process?"
Mr Forrest said it was extremely important that any new build would come about through engagement with all and pointed to the good record the council had in successful school building development.
Councillor Sullivan asked: “There won’t be a swimming pool in any rebuild at this point that's something I would like to see retained.
Mr Forrest said that officers could look at the re-provision of a swimming pool in any new build, but that could add another £5m to the total bill.
Detailed construction and funding plans will be presented to the Executive in the Autumn.
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