Plans for a “landmark” £10 million primary school complex in Charleston were approved by councillors in Dundee on Monday night with the proviso that measures must be taken to ensure the safety of pupils during construction.
The development in Balgarthno Place will be shared by St Clement’s RC Primary and a new school to be created by merging Charleston and Lochee primaries.
The two schools will remain separate but will share some accommodation, including the assembly hall, gym and kitchen. The L-shaped two-storey building will also house a nursery and a child and family centre, and the development includes a sports pitch, playing fields with an orchard, and parking.
Work on the project has been going on for more than two years and, although it has been broadly supported, there has been opposition from some Lochee residents who are concerned at the increased distance their children will have to travel to attend classes.
The shared campus is to be built around the present St Clement’s building, which will remain open throughout.
At the request of Councillor Laurie Bidwell, Monday night’s meeting of Dundee City Council’s development management committee agreed to add an extra planning condition calling for the education department to submit for approval its proposal concerning access by pupils during construction work.
The safety of children attending the school was also taken up by Councillor Kevin Keenan.
Planning officers have recommended a travel plan be drawn up within 12 months of the opening of the new building, setting out proposals to cut the number of car journeys to and from the campus.
However, Mr Keenan said there has always been concern about parking and dropping off near schools, and suggested that the planning condition regarding the travel plan did not go far enough.
It might be better to have something in place to address concerns “from day one, when the school opens,” he said.
Director of city development Mike Galloway replied that experience had taught the department that travel plans were extremely difficult to set up in advance as they worked best when they involved pupils at the school and their parents.