AN urgent review ordered by the Scottish Government is underway across the entire country to determine the extent of collapse-risk concrete in public buildings.
So far, no schools have been outright closed as some have been in England, though 35 in Scotland have been found to have been built with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which has been linked to buildings collapsing.
The Scottish Government has said it believes there is no immediate risk posed by the presence of Raac in public buildings.
The National asked every local authority in Scotland whether Raac had been identified in their buildings.
This is what they said.
Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeen confirmed its review of buildings it owns had “identified a number of properties that have Raac within their construction”.
The council did not specify where they were but a council spokesperson added: “All these properties have been assessed to ensure they remain safe for building users and are subject to ongoing regular checks recommended by our technical consultants.”
They also said the council would follow government guidance if it changed.
Aberdeenshire Council
Both Mackie Academy and Westhill Academy have Raac but Aberdeenshire council said inspections had confirmed “no degradation” in roof planks. Additional “intrusive” inspections will be undertaken during the October break, the council said.
A spokesperson added: “The council has practically completed onsite investigations across the school estate, with a number revisited over the recent summer holiday period which have not identified further installations.
“However, this work will continue with a number of schools in October where intrusive or high level surveys are required to establish construction and ascertain the presence of Raac, or otherwise.
“This is a precautionary measure where visual inspection to-date has been inconclusive coupled with construction drawings being silent on this issue.”
Angus Council
No schools in Angus contained Raac, according to a review carried out in 2021, a spokesperson said. A review of the council’s other buildings including council houses is underway, the spokesperson added.
Argyll and Bute Council
Did not respond.
City of Edinburgh Council
Confirmed a review was underway.
Clackmannanshire Council
A spokesperson for the Wee County said that despite six schools being built during the peak of Raac use, none of its schools were found to contain the material according to a review carried out earlier this year.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
The Western Isles council said it had carried out reviews but not physical inspections of its buildings and was “confident that RAAC has not been used in any of its estate”. A spokesperson added: “However, to be able to provide 100% certainty, further surveys will be undertaken over the coming months at schools and other buildings constructed within the stated timescale of use.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Dumfries Academy and Laurieknowe Primary School in Dumfries and Carrutherstown Primary School in Nithsdale were found to contain Raac, the council said. Inspections will be carried out at Kirkcudbright Academy and at Gatehouse Primary School to check for the material this week, a spokesperson added. A survey is also underway to search for Raac in all other council buildings in the area.
Dundee City Council
Two schools with Raac have been identified, a council spokesperson. They did not specify which but added that they did not “present an immediate safety issue” and that the council was prepared in case future inspections found the material to pose a risk.
East Ayrshire Council
Three buildings not open to the public have been found to have Raac, a spokesperson for East Ayrshire said. Engineers contracted by the council visted the buildings and had "no immediate concerns", they added while noting that plans for remedial work were being prepared for the council's consideration.
East Dunbartonshire Council
Ann Davie, the deputy chief executive of East Dunbartonshire Council, said no schools in East Dunbartonshire were known to contain Raac and that “further detailed investigations have been instructed to confirm this position across the estate”.
Davie added that the council was following the English Department for Education’s (DfE) Raac guidance “as the basis for assessing risk and any future remedial measures which may be required as a result of detailed investigations”.
A spokesperson added they had followed DfE guidance as well as advice from the Institution of Structural Engineers and "other authoritative bodies". They also said any future guidance from the Scottish Government would be followed and "take precedence if necessary".
East Lothian Council
Parts of Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans were found to have Raac and they were closed off, a spokesperson said. Pupils are being taught in "alternative accommodation within the school’s catchment area", they added, as a temporary measure.
At Ross High School in Tranent, Raac was found in the dining hall, the spokesperson said. Engineers have said it does not pose a safety risk and the dining hall remains in use and subject to monitoring, they added.
A spokesperson said: "Survey work has confirmed that Raac is not present in any other East Lothian Council school buildings.”
East Renfrewshire Council
Confirmed a review was ongoing.
Falkirk Council
Confirmed a review was ongoing.
Fife Council
Fife Council said none of its schools contained Raac.
Glasgow City Council
A spokesperson said Raac had been identified in 2021 at Whitehill Secondary School in Dennistoun, and that investigations were going on throughout the city. Whitehill has undergone "detailed inspections" which a spokesperson said had shown "no evidence of defects" which would pose a risk and that remedial work had been undertaken as a precaution.
Investigations going on throughout the rest of the city, the spokesperson added, have "not established Raac is present in any of the remaining buildings", though this is only the situation described at the first stage of a four-stage investigatory process.
Highland Council
Two schools in the Highland Council area – Charleston Academy in Inverness and Nairn Academy – contain Raac in their roofs and walls, a spokesperson said.
They added: “We can confirm that, in line with their advice, nearly all safety critical works have been completed or securely fenced off until completion, and further non critical remedial works continue to be carried out. No recommendation to close the buildings was made.”
Inverclyde Council
Did not respond.
Midlothian Council
Midlothian said none of its schools had Raac.
Moray Council
Raac has been identified at Forres Academy, a spokesperson said, adding: “The design for the mitigation works at Forres has been completed and we have a contractor on board to undertake the works which are intended to commence shortly.”
North Ayrshire Council
Raac was found in only one location in the North Ayrshire school estate – the PE block in Ardrossan Academy, according to a spokesperson. They added there were no immediate safety concerns but that the block has been temporarily closed as a precaution “pending completion of the further inspection”.
North Lanarkshire Council
Two buildings – understood to be a school and a community centre – were found to have Raac in North Lanarkshire. The council did not specify their exact locations, though they are understood to both be open to the public and temporary supports are in place.
A review of the rest of the council’s buildings is underway.
Orkney Islands Council
Did not respond.
Perth and Kinross Council
Raac was found in one school in the council area – Perth Grammar School – a spokesperson told The National. It was discovered in February this year and the affected area was closed to pupils and staff, the spokesperson said, before the Raac panels were removed and replaced with a steel profile roof.
Renfrewshire Council
No “educational establishments” in Renfrewshire were found to have Raac as part of their construction, a council spokesperson said.
Scottish Borders Council
A spokesperson said “preliminary investigations” had indicated Raac had not been used in any Scottish Borders schools but that further investigations were underway as a precaution.
Shetland Islands Council
There have been no buildings with Raac in Shetland Council buildings though a "full review into the age, condition, building records and maintenance history" of all of its estate is ongoing, a spokesperson said.
South Ayrshire Council
South Ayrshire Council confirmed Raac had been found in one “non-school building” in its portfolio. A spokesperson said a structural inspection had been undertaken and that remediation works were being carried out.
South Lanarkshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council said none of its schools contained Raac.
Stirling Council
A council spokesperson said surveyors working for the local authority were asked on an ongoing basis to flag concerns about Raac found in buildings. They added: “No properties have been highlighted to cause us a concern.”
West Dunbartonshire Council
Did not respond.
West Lothian Council
Raac has been identified in five West Lothian schools. These are Balbardie Primary School in Bathgate, Riverside Primary in Livingston, Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate, Knightsridge Primary in Livingston, and St. Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn.
The council said work was underway at Balbardie, Knightsridge and Windyknowe. It said it had put in bids for funding for work at the other two schools.
The council has also identified Raac at Fauldhouse Partnership Centre – since removed – and that work was ongoing to remove the material at Lanthorn Community Centre in Livingston and Whitburn Community Centre. Raac was also identified at Stoneyburn Community Centre, but a spokesperson said this did not require work at the moment, though a monitoring scheme was in place.
