Dumfries High School building at the 'end of life'

The council wants to build a replacement for Dumfries High School

A south of Scotland secondary school is at the "end of life" with "significant and high-risk backlog maintenance issues", according to a council report.

The concerns are contained in a submission for funding to replace Dumfries High School.

It flags up structural issues with the concrete frame of the building which have to be "regularly monitored".

Dumfries and Galloway Council hopes to build a new school as part of a wider educational overhaul in the town.

Accessibility issues

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

The second phase - costing nearly £70m - would see Dumfries High School replaced, Dumfries Academy refurbished and Loreburn Primary relocated to the Academy's Minerva Hall building.

A submission for funding was made to the Scottish government earlier this month.

It detailed some of the issues at Dumfries High where accessibility to upper floors has been described as "limited".

Inevitable compromises

It also outlined problems facing Loreburn Primary with "significant backlog maintenance issues" and described it as "not functionally suitable".

"The building was never designed as a primary school, which inevitably leads to compromises across various elements of use," the report said.

If funding bids are successful, it is hoped work could start on replacing both schools in 2023.

However, a report to councillors has warned that contingency plans will need to be put in place should financial support fail to be secured.