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Grand designs for future of decrepit Gillespie's school

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Published Date: 07 May 2009
By FAY SINCLAIR
DESIGN work is to begin on a new James Gillespie's High School, despite no funds being available to build the school.
In a bid to get the long-awaited project off the ground as soon as possible, the council has announced that initial design work on rebuilding the Marchmont school will begin in January.

Work began last month on the design for the new £41.5 million
Portobello High School, but it will take 15 years to deliver the remaining "wave three" schools – Gillespie's and Boroughmuir highs, along with St John's Primary and St Crispin's Special School – because of a funding gap.

However, £1.5m has now been identified to bring James Gillespie's through to the planning stage so that as soon as the funding – thought to be a similar figure to that of the Portobello building – becomes available building work can commence.

City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "We are delighted that our current budgets will allow us to make an early start on the designs for a new school at James Gillespie's.

"We are playing our part by spending nearly a quarter of a billion pounds on improving our schools and building new ones, but to make James Gillespie's and other projects happen quicker, we need more government support."

Councillor MacLaren made the announcement at the opening of Flora Stevenson Primary School's £2.5m extension yesterday. The Comely Bank school's new music centre, gym hall and dining hall have been completed as part of the council's ongoing £239m schools investment programme.

Councillor MacLaren added: "Our major new school building programme continues alongside a sustained investment in the improvement of the fabric of our existing school buildings.

"Budgets may be tight but we are making best use of the money available by prioritising investment in quality education facilities."

The 2008-11 capital investment programme for Children and Families includes £4,236,000 over three years for improvements to existing buildings.

Priority projects with a value of £912,000 were carried out during 2008-9. The coming year will see almost £2.2m invested in existing schools across the city.

Projects with a value of £2,174,000, ranging from roof and stonework repairs to new dining halls and heating systems, will be carried out during 2009-10.

Two further projects to improve accessibility at Davidson's Mains and Stenhouse primaries are currently at design stage and are set to start on site in 2009-10.

LET'S GET TO WORK
A total of £2,174,000 will be spent on improving the following school buildings in the city in 2009-10:

Calderglen Nursery School: security fencing
Carrick Knowe Community Centre: Tarmac
Corstorphine Primary School: new dining facilities
Craigentinny Community Centre: heating work
Craiglockhart Primary School: roofing work
Ferryhill Primary School: boiler replacement
Gylemuir Primary School: roofing work
Gracemount Youth Centre: roofing and ceilings
Hailesland Children and Families Centre: security measures
Kaimes Special School: ventilation work
Leith Primary School: roofing work/stonework repairs
Liberton Nursery School: stonework
Lorne Street Primary School: boundary wall stonework
Murrayburn Primary School: lintel repairs and toilet upgrade
Prospect Bank Special School: external works
Queensferry Primary School Nursery: annexe heating
Ratho Primary School: completion of roofing work
Roseburn Primary School: rewiring
Sighthill Primary School: boiler replacement/roofing work
Sighthill Children's Centre: heating work
South Morningside Primary School: roofing/stonework repairs/ boundary wall stonework
St Leonard's Nursery School: playground drainage
St Marks Primary School: door and window replacements/ toilet upgrade
St Thomas of Aquins RC High School: miscellaneous works
Stenhouse Children and Families Centre: toilet upgrade
Wellington School: heating work





The full article contains 599 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 May 2009 9:36 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Schools in Edinburgh
 
1

alfonsa pedrosa,

embra 07/05/2009 12:14:06
So it will take years but,something positive is being done and we will have top clas schools again.
2

alfonsa pedrosa,

embra 07/05/2009 12:14:34
Sorry,class.
3

Farky,

Edinburgh 07/05/2009 13:16:15
See what years upon years of neglect have done. Still can't understand why so many schools actually need rebuilt/replaced altogether. Too many buildings are being replaced when all that is actually required is refurbishment. New schools do not produce brighter children!
4

Top Floor,

07/05/2009 13:23:49

The list above is routine maintenance work, hardly cause for a self congratulatory press release.
5

I love to eat Sellotape,

07/05/2009 13:34:27
But it'll do, eh?
6

Linda,

Edinburgh 07/05/2009 13:38:03
Crumbling schools are legacy of Labour's 24 misrule of Edinburgh. Now thanks to all the non SNP parties, Edinburgh Council has to spend at least £50 million on trams rather than on schools and improving bus services.
7

Logie Almond,

07/05/2009 13:38:45
Hmm, seems daft to spend £1.5m on design when there's no money to carry out the work. Surely it could be spent on other schools which need immediate attention...but of course Gillespie's is in Mrs McLaren's ward.
8

Brian Ferrari,

07/05/2009 14:03:22
I suppose the thinking is that if you start a project it somehow manages to keep going.

When in fact you should be surcharged for wasting money in a wholly wanton fashion.
9

Cheradenine,

Edinburgh 07/05/2009 14:16:43
#7 It does need immediate attention, all the kids had to be sent home this winter when what was left of the heating system failed.

(Still though, inferred conspiracy mumbo jumbo is in your ward)
10

Cheradenine,

Edinburgh 07/05/2009 14:20:13
(Sorry that comment wasn't meant nearly as vindictively as it came out, take it with a pinch of salt)
11

Incandescent,

07/05/2009 15:07:20
£41.5m for a single school? Doesn't anyone think that's a wee bit expensive? As for £1.5m "to bring it to the planning stage" - why not just rationalise all future schools to a single design? The potential savings in time and money are huge.
12

Incandescent,

07/05/2009 15:09:44
...state schools, that is. Also, amend The Town and Country Planning Act to exclude them from Local Authorities' planning remit to further streamline the process.
13

Astounded of Edinburgh,

07/05/2009 21:43:13
#6 Linda, you're like a bl**dy stuck record! Please, try not to be just so blatantly tribal, it really doesn't impress anyone.

And your comments here are just not helped by the fact that the previous three Council Administrations built 34 new schools conpared to the grand total of zero since May 2007.
14

Decimus,

Embra 07/05/2009 23:18:18
Who decides the priorities here? St Thomas of Aquins is a new school, virtually. 'Miscellaneous works'? They should be suing the designers or the contractors.
"Sustained investment in the IMPROVEMENT in the fabric of our existing school buildings?" Improvement? They aren't even maintained. How can they look themselves in the mirror when so much of the building stock is literally crumbling around our children's ears, and they have refused to spend anything since taking office? This is nothing but vacuous spin. Lets vote someone else in, quickly.
15

The faithful=,

Gracemount 08/05/2009 19:12:39
Glad to see Gracemount Youth Centre has at last got a look in,all the buckets can after 2yrs go back in storage instead of lying all over catching the rain.
#3,you are so right ,dont see why everything seems to need rebuilt.Simple upkeep and maintenance is all thats needed ,then things would not get so run down and cost so much to bring up to standard.

 

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