Bertha Park primary school denied Scottish Governnment funding

Perth and Kinross Council had asked Holyrood to stump up half the cost of the planned new primary school in the Bertha Park area of Perth

By Kathryn Anderson

November 9 2023, 6:58pm

Council bosses say they'll fund the new Bertha Park primary school themselves. Image: Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson.

Perth and Kinross Council has been refused Scottish Government funding to build a new primary school at Bertha Park in Perth.

The council had sought half the cost of the project from Holyrood’s Learning Estate Investment Programme.

Councillors were told this week that the bid had been rejected.

However, officials believe the £24 million committed by the council will still be enough to provide the new school.

Head of business and resources Greg Boland said the Bertha Park bid met all the initial criteria but it was unsuccessful due to limited funding in the Scottish Government budget.

John Swinney MSP next to a plaque commemorating the opening of Bertha Park High School in 2020. — John Swinney MSP at the official opening of Bertha Park High School in 2020. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

He told the property sub-committee: “Obviously with inflation in projects across the country only 10 councils have been successful.

“Unfortunately Perth and Kinross Council was not one of them.”

Bertha Park primary school coincides with major housebuilding

Planning permission has been granted for the new school to educate up to 434 pupils in 14 classrooms.

Building work is scheduled to start in December 2024. The school is due to open in August 2026.

Over the next decade 2,512 houses are expected to be built in the area. These are likely to generate an estimated 678 primary school pupils.

Bertha Park High School opened to pupils in August 2019.

The council has already received Scottish Government funding for the construction of Perth’s Riverside Primary and the £80.2 million rebuild of Perth High School.