Highland Council to decide £148m plan for Charleston, Fortrose, Beauly, and Inverness High rebuilds as issues ‘earliest operational dates’ are all before 2030
Highland Council has issued “the earliest operational dates” for four local schools included in phase one of the Highland Investment Plan (HIP) with the aim of completing them all this decade.
The news may come as a relief to staff and future parents and in the catchment areas of the badly rundown schools after years of complaints about crumbling buildings and poor attainment.
In September 2023, Highland Council’s SNP-Independent administration performed one of the biggest U-turns in its history when it ditched 10 long-promised major school building projects to slash more than £120 million from its capital programme.
The same month chief executive Derek Brown arrived and within eight months the £2 billion Highland Investment Plan was announced providing cash for the schools.
The roster of schools that will be totally or partially rebuilt are: Beauly Primary to be operational in 2027/28; Charleston Academy to open its doors in 2029/30; and both Fortrose Academy and Inverness High are targeted for completion by 2029/30.
Beauly has been budgeted at £20 million; Charleston Academy at £80 million; Fortrose Academy and Inverness High are to get £24 million each – that is on top of the Tain Campus, Nairn Academy, and the Broadford and Tornagrain projects.
The pace of development is startling as the proposed opening dates of the new schools arrive less than two weeks after the council budget ring-fenced two of the seven per cent rise council tax for investment in the HIP.
The pace of development is startling as the proposed opening dates of the new schools arrive less than two weeks after the council budget ring-fenced two of the seven per cent rise council tax for investment.
On Thursday, councillors will be asked to agree to the “allocation of capital funding to the first group of Phase 1 projects at Beauly, Charleston, Dingwall, Dunvegan, Fortrose, Inverness High and Thurso and the proposed project delivery timescales”.
The HIP commits aims to establish a new generation of integrated community facilities (PODs) to deliver a “refreshed operating model for services” across the region alongside key partners like NHS Highland.
That plan aims to address the major challenges faced by Highland Council like transport and roads; schools and community facilities; depots and public offices across Highland communities.
The Convener of the council, Cllr Bill Lobban said: “All work to date by the council on the Highland Investment Plan has taken into account the views of local people and local issues and priorities.
“Members will have the opportunity to discuss the report on Thursday and if the recommendations regarding St Clement’s and Dingwall Primary schools are agreed, the council will immediately commence an informal consultation period of engagement with relevant stakeholders from both schools.”
