The first image showing what a proposed new Craigshill primary school will look like has been released.
An artist’s impression of the new school was revealed to councillors at this month’s meeting of the Education Executive.
The planned £24m state of the art campus will replace two of the oldest school buildings in Livingston, dating back to the birth of the new town 60 years ago.
Councillors approved the new name of Craigshill and the catchment area, taking in the current catchments of Riverside and Letham primaries – built in the 1960s.
The new non-denominational school will be built on the site of Riverside Primary School, with pupils and staff from Riverside and Letham moving in for the start of the academic term in August 2027.
Greg Welsh, the council’s Head of Education said: “The project will provide the opportunity to bring together two existing schools in a well-established community and act as a catalyst for regeneration of the Craigshill community, providing a central, focal point for children and families.
“Secondly, the delivery of a state-of-the-art school will aim to support the educational priorities and inspire the young people who attend.”
West Lothian Council is funding 50% of the project, with the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP), a joint scheme between Scottish and local government, providing the remaining 50%. The project will also provide a focal point for families and young people in the area.
A formal consultation is required for any proposal to establish a new school, the catchment area for a new school or closure of a school, and also gives the local community a chance to voice their opinions on the proposed development.
The Education Executive was presented with the findings of the consultation, described as extremely positive. The Executive also agreed the catchment area for the school.
The proposed new school will have a capacity of 462, with 80 nursery places, to ensure there is sufficient capacity for the area.
Local Councillor Veronica Smith: “It was really good to see the community involvement . There was a lot of people attended. There were lots of good questions. It’s really good to see that and also going forward there’s a big interest in the town and in the village.”
Chair of the Executive, Councillor Andrew McGuire said: “It’s wonderful that we have come this far. It looked for a while that we perhaps would not get the funding that we wanted for Craigshill thank goodness were here.
“Craigshill is the oldest locale in Livingston, first built when the new town was created and the schools in particular were starting to show their age. Think it’s fantastic that we have got to this stage. It’s really exciting for Craigshill, That came across how in excited the community were. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on in.”
The new school is subject to planning permission being obtained and final designs being agreed.
A meeting of the Council Executive agreed a demolition contract for the summer ahead of the construction of the new school on the site of Riverside. The children were decanted to the former Beatlie Campus and the nursery to Letham Primary School in August 2023 after RAAC panels were identified as problematic on the building.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
