New Dumfries education sites should open by 2018

The first phase of the education overhaul includes the creation of a specialist learning hub at the King George V sports complex site

A new schools campus and a learning hub being built in the £66m first phase of an education overhaul in Dumfries should be completed by 2018.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is to close and relocate five schools.

Maxwelltown High School, St Ninian's and Lochside primaries and Langlands school for children with complex needs will move to a new north west campus.

The Elmbank Centre, for pupils with behavioural issues, will be included in a new specialist learning hub.

A major refurbishment of St Joseph's College is also part of the initial phase.

Education committee chairman Jeff Leaver said it had taken some time to reach this point but they were now entering a "very exciting stage".

The multi-million pound plans are just the first phase of wider plans to overhaul schools provision in Dumfries.

Later phases will see a new Dumfries High School complex created, which would include a replacement for Noblehill Primary.

Dumfries Academy will also be redeveloped into a campus, including Loreburn Primary. A new Laurieknowe Primary is also planned.

Mr Leaver said work on the first new facilities should get under way soon.

"We have agreed £66m for the phase one of Dumfries Learning Town - that's the new north west campus plus the learning hub," he said.

"That money is in place so we can get contractors on site in early summer with the facilities opening about 18 months to two years after that."

He said the spending was vital to bring schools in the town up to modern standards.

"I think the secondary schools within Dumfries have been very neglected in terms of investment," he said.

"Really they are far too big for the number of pupils we have got at the moment, their physical state is very poor.

"It's not a suitable learning environment either for the pupils or for the staff who are actually working within the schools.

"Education has moved on an awful lot since these facilities were built so we have now got an education system which is very much ready for the 21st century."