Planning permission granted

A new £9.5million primary school for pupils in Kirn took a step forward today as planning permission was granted.

The brand new facility designed for 320 primary school pupils, together with an early years facility with 30 spaces, should take around a year to build following the demolition of the current 1950’s era building..

Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Planning, Councillor David Kinniburgh, welcomed this news, saying:  ‘’We are delighted that planning permission for this project has been granted. The new school will be a real benefit to many people in and around Kirn for years to come. The focus of the council’s planning service is on making things happen, supporting sustainable economic growth and regeneration. In trying to attract people and investment to the area quality facilities for educating our young people are a must.’’

The project is being taken forward by Hub North Scotland Ltd. in partnership with the council

The new school will be built on the existing site, with the 1881 Victorian building being retained and refurbished. All of the remaining school buildings will be demolished and replaced by a new two storey school building which will contain all the primary classrooms, library, dining hall and sports hall. 

Councillor Rory Colville, Policy Lead for Education, said: ‘’We are focussed on providing young people in Kirn with the best possible start in life and this planning approval represents a huge milestone in the process of delivering a new school fit for the 21st century.

‘’Everyone involved in educating and supporting our young people is committed to realising the council’s ambition to make Argyll and Bute a place people choose to live, learn, work and do business.

‘’This new school will help to equip our children for the future; providing them with a fabulous facility in which they can learn and succeed, be ambitious and realise their full potential.

‘’This is one part of an ambitious £74million investment programme which will also provide new schools for children in Dunoon, Campbeltown and Oban.’’

The new design will also introduce a variety of play and learning areas with different surfaces ranging from hard surfaces to grass, with a school garden and a synthetic multi-use games area.

During the construction work at Kirn, pupils and staff will decant to Dunoon Grammar School (DGS). In preparation for the decant period, meetings involving various council services have taken place to discuss the arrangements for the move itself as well as the works necessary to provide the facilities required at Dunoon Grammar School.

Separate meetings with the Dunoon Grammar School Parent Council and Kirn Primary School Parent Council have taken place to inform them of the proposed arrangements.

Rooms within Dunoon Grammar School have been identified for use by Kirn Primary 1 to Primary 7 pupils. The decant will involve the early years pupils from Kirn Primary and the English Department of Dunoon Grammar being moved into modular accommodation on the DGS grounds. 

Once the new Kirn Primary School construction is complete the pupils and staff will return to their new school.

The school will also be available for community use. One of the key developments will be the provision of a new sports hall, the size of two badminton courts

*****ENDS*****