Plans for new Dingwall schools campus to go on display

Plans for a new schools campus in Dingwall are to go on display later this month.

Dingwall Primary School and St Clement's Special School are to move to a single building, while maintaining their individual identities.

Drop-in events will be held in the town in October and December for community feedback.

Highland Council's education committee chairman, John Finlayson, said the shared campus would bring together education provision and create a "valuable resource" for the local community.

The project will be funded as part of the local authority's 20-year, £2.1bn Highland Investment Plan.

The region-wide programme involves a mix of borrowing and 2% ring fenced allocation of council tax revenue.

Under the plan, all new school buildings in the Highlands are to be community points of delivery with community facilities, council services and school spaces.

The new Dingwall Primary School will have capacity for 456 pupils and 88 in early years. It will also have Gaelic medium education provision.

St Clement's School will be able to accommodate 76 pupils.

The campus will have a sports pitch and a disability sports centre.

Robertson Construction has been named as the preferred main contractor to build the campus.

Margaret Paterson, vice chairwoman of Highland Council's Dingwall and Seaforth area committee, said: "I welcome the significant investment planned in the Dingwall area, and the commitment that each school will retain its own identify, leadership, staff and facilities.

"The drop-in events are an important opportunity for the community to view the proposals and share views ahead of a planning application being made next year."