Dumfries Learning Town: Council must act 'quickly' over funding

A replacement for Dumfries High School remains part of the plans

A council has been told it needs to act "quickly" in its bid to secure funding for a schools overhaul.

Original plans for the second phase of the Dumfries Learning Town were shelved when it emerged they would need annual savings of about £10m for 25 years.

Now revised plans have been drawn up on how the project could proceed.

They would see a replacement for Dumfries High School while Loreburn Primary would be relocated into a building at Dumfries Academy.

The first phase of the project in the town - to overhaul St Joseph's College and build the new North West Community Campus and The Bridge learning hub - has been completed.

Loreburn Primary would be relocated to the Dumfries Academy site under the plans

Phase two was supposed to see two new campuses built - one including Dumfries High School and Noblehill Primary with the other seeing Dumfries Academy redeveloped and Loreburn Primary relocated to the site.

A new Laurieknowe Primary was also planned.

However, the council confirmed earlier this year that those plans would have to be revised in the face of financial pressures.

Now the local authority is being asked to take forward a new set of plans - still including the replacement of Dumfries High.

The move of Loreburn Primary would also go ahead with a proposal to relocate it into the Minerva building at Dumfries Academy.

Meanwhile, condition surveys are being carried out at Dumfries Academy, Noblehill Primary and Laurieknowe Primary in order to decide spending priorities at those sites.

The council is seeking an early meeting with the Scottish government to discuss funding arrangements and a timeline.

A report to the local authority's education committee said it would need to "position itself quickly" in order to seek to secure financial support.