Work on Highland Schools projects to resume

18th June 2020

Highland Council is pleased to report that preparatory work to resume construction activity on three key school projects has commenced. This is a significant step towards the completion of new buildings at Alness Academy and Merkinch Primary, and the refurbishment of Inverness High School.

The contractors will follow Scottish Government and construction industry guidance to ensure a safe return to work and a phased approach to increasing site activity. Individual plans on the measures required at each location are being developed in conjunction with the Council's in-house project teams and school management, and with particular consideration to the return of pupils and staff in August.

Work on all three projects will continue beyond the start of the new school session in August. Further details will be released as remobilisation progresses and revised completion dates are confirmed.

The projects, with a combined value of over £70M, are funded through the Council’s capital programme, with support of £27M from the Scottish Government’s investment programme (Scotland’s Schools for the Future) managed by Scottish Futures Trust.

Construction work will also resume on a range of other school improvement projects that were suspended in March. This includes new or refurbished nursery accommodation at Deshar, Durness, Keiss, Rosebank, Tomnacross and Tongue Primary Schools that are all part of the Early Learning and Childcare expansion programme. Again, it is essential that the national guidance is followed on all projects to ensure that safe working practices are implemented.

Cllr John Finlayson, Chair of Highland Council’s Education Committee said: "It is good to hear that work will resume on these important projects which communities are keen to see finished and which will also I hope be just the start of work on many more capital school projects across Highland going forward. Earlier in the year the council agreed priorities to further improve our school estate in partnership with The Scottish Government and it is important that we are still ambitious to see these plans realised."