SCOTTISH Water today insisted that the future of its Fairmilehead site will not be decided for another three years – despite the city council saying it is in "well advanced" negotiations over buying the site to build a new high school.
The council has just finished consulting with parents over plans to modernise Boroughmuir High School, putting forward two proposals – either redeveloping on the current Viewforth site or building a new school on the treatment plant site at Fairmile
head.
The majority of parents seem to favour the redevelopment option as they believe it is the most realistic – and the comments from Scottish Water appear to strengthen their claim.
The utility company will have 25 acres of surplus land when it moves to Glencorse in 2011, but it says it won't be making a decision on the future of the site until then.
A spokesman for Scottish Water said the company has been "in discussion" with the city council over ten acres of its land. But he added: "We are happy to continue to work with the City of Edinburgh Council over its aspirations for a possible new school, however by no means has the future of any surplus land been decided.
"Both Fairmilehead and Alnwickhill will continue to serve the Capital until the new Glencorse WTW comes on stream early in 2011. Only then will we be able to make a decision."
However, in the consultation papers produced for parents, the council states that it is in "well advanced negotiations" with Scottish Water and says the company is committed to the site being released in April 2011.
Norman Tinlin, secretary of Fairmilehead Community Council, said: "I think the council are not as far ahead with discussions as they say, but I've raised the point that Scottish Water were duty-bound to get best value. The council seems to think they have a right to that site, which they don't have."
He added that although the community council would welcome a school on the site in theory, it believes it wouldn't be the right location for Boroughmuir.
Parents have accused the council of favouring the new-build option for Boroughmuir over the refurbishment plans, though education leader Marilyne MacLaren says she has an "open mind".
A council spokeswoman said: "We are in talks with Scottish Water about the site which is why we have included it as an option for a new school in the consultation. We wouldn't move forward with any detailed designs until we had the results of the consultation and thereafter an agreement in principle to buy the site."
