New high school plans submitted
Ryan Taylor
A planning application has been submitted for the new Anderson High School and halls of residence at its Clickimin site, marking an “important milestone” in the development of the major project.
Shetland Islands Council said the proposals, together with an environmental statement, had been submitted to the authority’s planning department.
Director of children’s services Helen Budge said the project was on track for the planned opening in August 2016.
“I’m obviously very delighted. It’s another step in the right direction. We’ve done a huge amount of work to make sure that the environmental impact assessment is included, and we let the process of planning now begin.
“We’ve now got the land, we’ve submitted our planning application, and we await that process to go through to be able to start on site later in the year, all being well.”
Her comments follow news last week the council had acquired all of the land needed for its flagship capital project after an agreement was reached with Shetland Leasing and Property to buy a plot to the north and west of the rugby pitches at Clickimin.
Mrs Budge said that process would not impact on the £42 million cost of the project.
“The land deal was not part of what I would class as the government funding. The two thirds funding from the Scottish government and one third from Shetland Islands Council, does not include acquisition of the land.”
Chairwoman of the council’s education and families committee, Vaila Wishart said: “I am delighted that the planning application has been submitted. I know that there has been a lot of work by officers of Shetland Islands Council, Natural Capital and Hubco to get the application lodged. This is an important milestone for this project .”Earlier this year more than 100 people attended an open day at Islesburgh Community Centre to see draft plans for the school.
Negative comments were subsequently fed back to the council about proposed metal cladding for the exterior design. Mrs Budge said ideas around harling and wood have subsequently been examined as a possible alternative.
Natural Capital is a organisation with expertise in sustainable development which works with various local authorities. Hubco is a partnership between public and private sector organisations aimed at building and delivering better local services.
Edward Fullerton
Congratulations SIC on coming up with the worse looking design possible. The new AHS looks like an agricultural shed, not a 42m pound building. I would think that following the opening, this monstrosity could potentially be a valid competitor in the Ugliest Building Awards, 2016.
As for the size of the building, I am reliably informed that should pupil numbers increase much more, it will be too small already. Seriously, get your heads out of your backsides and think FUTURE. If the boom which is happening in Shetland at the moment should continue, with many of the current contract workers deciding to stay, and relocate their families, as happened in the last boom, then yay, were back at square one, a school which cannot cope, and a total white elephant.
Remember, the majority of the current AHS was supposed to be a temporary structure, well to me, I’m no building engineer, but this design does no look like it will last very long at all. First bad gale, and there will be metal cladding blowing all over Lochside.
I sincerely hope the public reject this plan, and send the council back to the drawing board. It is truly hideous.
fraser cluness
in north scotland inc orkney new schools far better looking than this have been built and are now in use, why have they invented the wheel again? go look at the new schools and get one thats invented already.
Ian Tinkler
Come on Edward, we have to follow the Mareel shed look, just a little bit of abattoir thrown in. Sure to get the Artie awards. Just have to go to the loo now, artists impression great cure for constipation!!
Sandy McDonald
Surely it’s what gets put inside that matters? All you need is 4 walls and a roof!
Rachel Buchan
Flat roof in the middle. Great idea…..
John Tulloch
Don’t knock it, Rachel, think ‘chic bistro’, summer lunches ‘al fresco’ with views of the loch, the Picts’ Castle and the Sooth Mooth (“knocks ‘Hay’s Dock’ intae a cockit hat”); councillors, senior managers and ‘has been’ educationalists from Sooth pontificating, in convivial surroundings, over a splendid repast provided by the canteen..er..restaurant staff, about how best to serve the parents who pay their wages yet are less well-informed than they about what’s best for their own children.
And the more council staff who use it, like Mareel, the more profitable it will be – it would never work in Sandwick, far less, Aith!
Always remember, Rachel, “Nanny knows best!”
John Watt
Be better off burrowing into the hillside and making lots of little hobbit hole classrooms instead of this rough looking shed, or create a mini village of classrooms using yurts 🙂
Bert Sinclair
Flat roof in the middle – nice big box gutter ? Surely with climate like we have the main objective must surely be to get the water on ground a.s.a.p.. Hope contractor has top class flat roofing specialists .Suppose no sense getting upset they are going to build the school anyway.
JohnBain, Sandwick
I suppose the Environmental Statement aspect of the new school planning application will have taken some cognizance of the removal of the only really significant Camp-site in Shetland at a time when their is virtually little other affordable accomodation possibilities available in Shetland due to travelling work-forces engaged in major projects here, this situation will not change significantly within the next 3 to 5 years due to ongoing requirement from Total, BP and the new Power Station project.
I would stress that I am in favour of the new school, whether or not it is in the correct location is a debate that has already been carried by the various bodies involved and isn’t an issue for me, what I am catagorically NOT in favour of is the EXACT location, on Lerwick’s – and our – Camp-site, surely a little innovative thinking could ( still ) move / re-orientate the building a little further north so that both facilities can be accomodated in the same general location !
My Daughter, Carina, has started a petition to save the camp-site which is already attracting a large number of signatures and comments on Change.Org. – and at a time when Shetland is being widely touted as a “top-line” tourist destination surely the last thing we need is to turn our backs on what, both now and in the future, is an extremely important, cost effective facility for all our community from Unst to Fair Isle and beyond, I would urge anyone who disagrees with the removal of the camp-site to sign up ! Believe me, I have encountered first hand in Aberdeen the exorbitant costs of accomodation when attending meetings there for BP, Shetland will soon copy this trend I am sure.
BBC Radio Shetland asked Alan Wishart last night for a response to the Camp-site / School issue and his reply , perhaps to an introduction which suggested that the petition was calling for a change of site for the new school, was that the new school would not be re-located, – just to clarify unequivocally – there was, and is, NO intent from the petition to ask for re-location, rather a little common sense application to the precise siting of the main building !
As a final comment I would ask – is the transferral of ownership of the Lerwick Campsite actually legal ? and even if so is it really a good idea anyhow ?, once it’s gone it is gone for good !
John Bain
Sheila Newcombe
I agree with John Bain, the new school needs to be built, but surely common sense should prevail, and a revision of the plans could accommodate both the school and the camp site, and for goodness sake, why has the campsite been closed all this time, when the building of the school won’t happen for some time. Just another comment, when you do build the school please make sure it is big enough for the quantity of pupils now and in the future.