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Parental concern over fire-hit Peebles High School replacement

Stallan-Brand/SBC New schoolStallan-Brand/SBC
Parents have criticised the open plan design of the new school and the size of assembly and dining areas

Plans to replace a fire-hit school in the Borders have provoked parental concern over its size and design.

The old Peebles High School suffered extensive damage in November 2019 and a new £46m building has been approved.

However, members of the parent council have criciticised the consultation process and the size of the proposed dining and assembly areas.

The local authority approved the plans earlier this year calling the design "innovative and interesting".

Tristan Compton, who is leading a group on the parent council looking at the plans, said there was no argument a new school was needed but there were concerns about what was being proposed.

"We lost about a third of the school in the fire in 2019, everything has been squashed in a smaller school since then," he said.

Scottish Borders Council School fire damageScottish Borders Council
The new secondary would replace the old one which was badly damaged in the fire

"The plans the council have put forward seem to be lacking in a number of ways."

He said there were a number of areas where they had issues, including:

  • Smaller assembly space with no provision for performances
  • Dining space reduced from current levels in a 1,400-pupil school
  • The open plan nature of the designs

"Open plan is maybe not turning out to be the great thing some designers seemed to think it was," said Mr Compton.

"It seems to be budget constraints are driving quite a lot of strange decisions."

He was also critical of the apparent hurry to take the plans forward rather than take on board parental concerns.

Mr Compton said there was still time to do so but questioned whether the will was there.

"The project team at SBC seem to want to push on regardless," he said.

"This school will serve our kids and the area for another 50 years - a three-month delay now is worth it to get the plans right."

SBC has been approached for comment.