The Madras College saga will take a major step forward on Thursday when councillors decide on a site.
Renovating and extending the existing school building at Kilrymont to form a single campus for the St Andrews school is the option that has been recommended to the education and children’s services committee.
After the embarrassing breakdown of talks with St Andrews University, which ended hopes of the school sharing facilities with the institution at Langlands, the council had to go back to the drawing board and revisit the various options for a new Madras.
Councillors are almost certain to back the recommendation when they meet this week. Having already been stalled as a result of the failed negotiations with the university, any deviation from a remodelled Kilrymont would push the project back by at least a year.
The report to the committee states that the new school could be ready by August 2015.
”On the issue of delivery by August 2015, only one site Kilrymont, re-modelled has been identified as complying with this criterion,” the report states.
”Whilst it may be possible to build on any of the other sites considered, there are significant risks which, as a minimum, will delay the delivery of a single site school by at least one year. On some sites there is not only the risk of delay of at least one year, but also the risk of failure to reach agreement or legal approval to use a site.”
As part of the refurbishment, the existing swimming pool at Kilrymont would be upgraded. Pupils would continue to use Station Park playing fields for major matches and events because of the limited space available at the school site.
It is not yet known what will happen to the school’s other existing campus at South Street, which currently accommodates senior pupils. South Street was the original site of the school and boasts an impressive quadrangle dating back to 1833.
During a public meeting last month, there was support for de-listing the B-listed Kilrymont building so it could be razed to the ground and replaced with a completely rebuilt school. However Historic Scotland indicated demolition would not be necessary.
In a letter to the council, heritage management team leader Steven Robb said: ”My first impression was that the buildings are robust and would be capable of the alterations and extensions required to provide a new campus school without losing the essential character of the building.”
The school at Kilrymont was designed in the sixties by Fife County architect Robert Sorley Lawrie. Opened in 1967, it was listed in July 2007.
Although there is a strong argument for the Kilrymont proposal, councillors are expected to consider all the options on the table before committing to the site. They are set to visit all the potential locations ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
Committee chairman Councillor Douglas Chapman said: ”There has been much debate in the local press about various aspects of the process and the options open to the council. I would like to make it clear that at this point no decision has been made on how to progress. This is a decision which is absolutely in the hands of the committee next Thursday.
”We will be visiting all the possible sites prior to committee and studying all the evidence in front of us before making an informed decision on what we as councillors feel is the best solution for a new Madras.”
The council is encouraging members of the public to go online and view information about the site selection process at www.fifedirect.org.uk/madrascollege.