Public to get first glimpse of plans for new schools
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OUTLINE plans for three new schools which will be built in Wick over the next two years are set to be unveiled for the first time later this month.
Highland Council is organising two exhibitions so people can see its outline proposals for the £50 million project to build a secondary school, two primary schools and new community facilities which will incorporate a replacement library and swimming pool.
The planning process for major works includes a pre-application consultation in which it shares its proposals with the public so comments can be considered by the architects before formal planning applications are submitted.
At both exhibitions, the council’s project team will be in attendance to answer any queries and members of the public are invited to comment on the proposals at the events or write to the authority within 14 days.
A spokesman for Highland Council said it was an opportunity for the Wick community to have its say at an early stage of the planning process.
He added: "People should be aware that no planning applications have been submitted at this stage.
"This is an opportunity for anyone to comment on the current proposals before such applications are made."
The exhibition for the three-to-18 campus takes place on Monday, April 22. This includes plans for the replacement Wick High, a new primary school – following the merger of Pulteneytown Academy and South Primary – along with the new east Caithness community facilities which will replace the town’s library and swimming pool.
An exhibition for the new school involving the merger of Hillhead and North primaries will take place on Monday, April 29. Miller Construction was named by Hub North Scotland as the preferred bidder for the schools contract and has announced it will be creating 400 jobs, with between 150 and 200 staff working at any one time.
It plans to hire the majority of its staff from within Caithness and said there would also be major spin-offs for other parts of the local economy.
Both public exhibitions will take place in the Assembly Rooms between 2pm and 6.30pm and the proposed plans will be available on Highland Council’s website after each.
