Plans to create a new £45 million single secondary school for Levenmouth have been finally approved.
The Scottish Government has said it will not be calling in Fife Council’s decision to close Buckhaven and Kirkland High Schools and rezone catchment areas ahead of the opening of a new combined school in 2016.
It was the last hurdle in the planning process, meaning the £45 million project will go ahead.
The new school will cater for around 1,800 pupils and will also feature a Fife College campus on site in an effort to train youngsters for locally-based industries.
Commenting on the decision in a letter to parents, Shelagh McLean, directorate resources manager at Fife Council, said: “This means once the new school building is completed and both schools have transferred to the new school, the council will formally close both high schools and the new community college and rezone both catchment areas to form one single catchment area for the new school from August 2016.”
Preparatory work on the new school has already begun on land which is part of the current Buckhaven High School.
Initial drawings show five proposed classroom blocks, with outdoor teaching and social spaces within the grounds. Five sports fields, a running track and floodlit multi-use games area for community use are also detailed.
Previous fears about merging two so-called “rival” schools have been dismissed, with a major consultation exercise about the new complex resulting in positive feedback from members of the community.