MORAY COUNCIL CLAIM that their plans to share East End Primary school ahead of the establishment of a future new school in Elgin has received approval from a Scottish Government agency.
The controversial plans have been opposed by parents at the school who say that sharing the current buildings is an unnecessary intrusion that will cause disruption to both new and existing pupils.
Council chiefs have also been criticised by developers of a new 1500-home housing estate planned for the north of Elgin, who say that building a new school is not required as the plans for Findrassie includes the creation of a new primary.
However, the local authority insists that the new school is needed to serve the south-east of Elgin, with plans to build it at a new site on Linkwood Road by 2018.
Now Moray Council say that a report on the issue from Education Scotland will be debated by members of the Children and Young People’s Services Committee on April 27.
They add that support for the plans are contained in that report, including a statement that the project has “significant education benefits for the pupils”, while the agency notes potential traffic issues around the temporary joint school and suggests the Council monitors that situation.
In January Moray Council insisted there was sufficient population pressure from the south of Elgin to warrant a new school in that part of town.