Have your say on Glengowan Primary school shake-up

May 1 2008 By Gary Fanning

PARENTS are to be given a say on proposals for radical changes to the schools set-up in Larkhall.

The Advertiser revealed last September that South Lanarkshire Council want to build a new £5m Glengowan Primary School in the Summerlee area.

It will be constructed to cope with a predicted increase in the school roll.

The extra pupils will come when 2000 new houses are built in Larkhall and Ferniegair. It is proposed 1000 houses will be built between 2011 and 2018. A further 1000 homes will be constructed between 2018 and 2028.

The housing developments have already been detailed in the finalised South Lanarkshire Local Plan.

Now parents’ views are required on proposals to relocate Glengowan Primary School to a new-build school at the current Larkhall roads depot site in Summerlee Road.

A programme is currently being prepared for the relocation and amalgamation of the roads depots at Canderside, Larkhall.

If approved, work on building the new school in Summerlee will begin in 2010.

The school is likely to be ready the following year.

The moves were approved by the council’s executive committee yesterday (Wednesday).

They also agreed a statutory consultation will be undertaken to alter catchment areas for Woodside Primary and Glengowan Primary Schools.

In a bid to accommodate the school roll, cash will have to be put aside to build an extra 24 classrooms at the new Glengowan Primary School, Machanhill Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School in Larkhall, as well as St Mary’s Primary School in Hamilton.

The developers of the Larkhall community growth area are likely to be required to provide the money towards these additional classrooms.

The new development proposals will generate demand for about 120 three and four-year-old nursery places.

It is proposed the new nursery be attached to Glengowan.

South Lanarkshire Council leader Councillor Eddie McAvoy said: “We feel that these proposals will fully meet the changing needs of the community in terms of education and will provide pupils with the best start in life.

“It is only right that parents and other interested parties should have the opportunity to comment on these proposals and that is why we propose to carry out full statutory consultations.”

St Mary’s Primary School will be refurbished by 2013 as part of the council’s £800m primary modernisation programme. A new school will be attached to the front of the existing building.