Permission granted for new Catholic primary school

Planning permission has been granted to build a new merged Catholic primary school in Bearsden.
St Andrews Primary School, artist impression for the new school.St Andrews Primary School, artist impression for the new school.
St Andrews Primary School, artist impression for the new school.

The new school is set to be built on the site of St Andrew’s Primary School in Duntocher Road, Bearsden to replace it and St Joseph’s Primary School in Milngavie.

Milngavie Councillor Jim Gibbons put forward a motion at the planning board meeting on December 20 to refuse planning permission due to the scale of the building and because he says it’s too close to the edge of the site and no provision has been made for a drop off area.

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There were six objections and four other letters of representation including one from the parent council of St Andrew’s Primary school.

Mr Gibbons said: “One of the greatest concerns is over safety fears on Duntocher Road. I know that they are planning on some mitigation measures at the site but I felt that the issue had to be raised and the parent council did not feel adequately consulted with.

“I voted purely on planning grounds and not because this is a school for Bearsden. I am pleased that Bearsden pupils are getting a new school, but I’m still not pleased that St Joseph’s in Milngavie will be closed.”

Planning permission however was granted by the Planning Board by majority vote.

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It is the fourth school to be built through the council’s Primary School Improvement Programme and is scheduled to open in summer 2018.

The application was lodged by the council through architects Holmes Miller and outlined the building layout with its 17 classrooms, playground, sports pitch and landscaping.

Chair of East Dunbartonshire’s Planning Board, Councillor Billy Hendry, said: “This decision by the planning board facilitates the delivery of a state of the art primary school within Bearsden.”

Following planning approval, the programme for delivery of the new school can now move to the next stage to allow the final project design to be progressed to financial close, subject to council approval.

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