New school may be built before demolishing old

The comhairle is examining whether the new Barra school could be constructed before knocking down the current premises.

Rephasing works could cut down on the amount of decanting pupils would be required to undertake.

Rising costs are sparking fears the pupils could be left in temporary premises for a prolonged period if construction was halted.

Scheduling construction to match demolition with new classrooms being built in advance of pulling down the old school was firmly rejected under the original design.

Parents who wished for present school to remain in operation during the construction of the new campus were told it was not feasible.

Now, it may well be possible, it seems, under a new look at layouts and revisions in attempts to control budgets.

The new school is one element of a wider project to construct an all-on-one-site modern Barra and Vatersay community campus at the location of the present school on the edge of Castlebay.

Soaring costs are set to increase the original £44 million price tag estimate, forcing a “reassessment” of plans.

This includes the development of a number of options for alternative layouts of the campus and its buildings highlights the comhairle

“One of the main considerations is to identify a revised preferred option that reduces or even eliminates the need for decant by programming the construction and completion of the new school prior to the demolition of the existing community school,” said a spokesman in response to concerns.

He added: “All options being considered as part of the reassessment exercise assume the retention of the scope of facilities which were to be provided as part of the agreed project Option 1D which was the subject of the Investment Business Case submitted to Scottish Government in February 2021.

“Options currently being developed include revised layouts and locations of the key elements but we are currently not planning for any such elements to be reduced in size or removed.”

The spokesman said: “The identification of a revised preferred option will include the development of a revised delivery programme and key milestones.

“We will continue to engage with key stakeholders and will share the new preferred option and delivery programme as soon as possible after the reassessment exercise is complete.”

The urgent need for a modern hospital to replace the crumbling St Brendan’s was a principal driver behind the project at the present Castlebay school.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the health board are joint main partners in the development which includes plans for state-of-the art education facilities. A modern sports centre would be erected across the road.

A new dental facility, primary care services, as well as an ambulance station are also to be constructed.

However, a new-for-old replacement care home is not on the cards which is causing concern within the community. Instead, eight tenanted housing with extra care units and two flexible units would be built.

New school may be built before demolishing old

9 September 2021

Castlebay School is to be replaced