Permission granted for new Winchburgh schools campus

The project on the B9080 to the west of the centre of the village includes a replacement Holy Family Primary School with an initial capacity of 231 pupils to be open by August 2022, along with a 64-place nursery. The site will also be home to a non-denominational secondary school, to be called Winchburgh Academy, with an initial capacity of 660 and due to be open by August 2022. And a, as yet unnamed, denominational secondary school with an initial capacity of 660 is planned to be open by August 2023.

As well as the schools, the site will also feature a shared physical education and community block with sports pitches, car parking, drop off areas, landscaping and facilities management accommodation to be available from August 2022.

West Lothian Council’s Education Executive has this week granted permission to formally establish the schools.

The council is working with its development partner Hub South East Scotland, which will lead on the build project on behalf of the council. Morrison Construction (Scotland) will carry out the site design and build work.

Executive councillor for Education, David Dodds, said: “This is an ambitious programme that will deliver three wonderful new schools in Winchburgh. The new schools will educate and nurture generations of local young people, providing them with fantastic new facilities.

“The new schools will contribute to the positive learning experience and will be hugely beneficial to the young people that attend the schools.

“Granting planning permission is a fundamental step in the delivery of these new schools and we’re delighted to have reached this stage.

“We are on schedule to deliver the new schools and I look forward to seeing construction take shape over the months and years ahead.

“We’d like to thank the local community for taking part in the consultation events held so far.”

Scott Brown, projects director, Hub South East, said: “Reaching the key milestone of planning approval for the new schools is fantastic. These facilities will not only provide a modern learning estate for pupils and staff, but will be a great asset to the community and we look forward to making these plans a reality.”

The secondary school buildings are three-storeys and the primary school is two, each is to be finished in a high quality brick with grey window and panel detailing. PV panels and sustainable heating systems will be installed.

The non-denominational school will be accessed from a new entrance at the west end of the site and the two denominational schools and PE block from crossroads at the east end. Footpath connections will be put in place throughout and around the site, including links to housing and new pedestrian crossings.