Dreghorn Primary sites looked at

Apr 3 2009 by Lex Brown, Irvine Herald

FOUR sites are being considered for a new £9.3m Dreghorn Primary School.

A consultation document recommends building a brand new school on the site of the former Dreghorn Juniors pitch in Dundonald Road.

The document outlines the pros and cons of the four possible locations to replace the current school in Main Street.

Other sites under consideration are next to Greenwood Academy, demolition of the current building and utilising the ground or behind the current school.

The detailed nine-page document will be circulated to interested parties including the Parent Council of the school with written responses send to the corporate director of education at Cunninghame House by Friday, May 29.

In a report to the education committee this week, corporate director Carol Kirk says the current school building is rated as being in a poor condition and poor suitability.

A new school should provide sufficient new or modernised accommodation to deliver the Curriculum for Excellence.

It should also meet the requirements of pupils with additional support needs.

In considering the various options the council should take account of the physical location of the new school, costs and traffic management.

A working party report rules out refurbishing the current building because it would require the dispersal of pupils to other primary schools in Irvine for up to two years with the resultant transport costs.

Rebuilding on the current site would raise design issues and acquiring extra land would be expensive, lengthy and contentious.

The Greenwood site would present major traffic issues and would require road alterations.

The council’s design team drew up proposals and the exercise indicated the Dundonald Road site was the best option.

However education boss Carol Kirk warns the preferred site goes contrary to the local plan and would require further and more detailed investigations and consultations including seeking the views of Sportscotland because of the football connection.

In a report to the education committee she says accommodation issues were highlighted in a recent education inspectors’ report.