THE FIRST phase of an extensive £136 million project to build six new school campuses begins today in Highland Perthshire.

Workmen will move into Breadalbane Academy, Aberfeldy, to start building decant accommodation for the pupils, which is expected to take 12 months.

It heralds the beginning of a new era for education in Perth and Kinross with similar state-of-the-art campuses being built at the North Inch and Glenearn in Perth, Blairgowrie, Strathearn and Loch Leven.

The North Inch community campus will hold Perth’s new Catholic schools, replacing St Columba’s High and St John’s Primary.

The Glenearn community campus for Perth South will include the new Inch View Primary, replacing Friarton Road Nursery and Caledonian Road Primary.

Blairgowrie community campus will incorporate Roman Catholic and non-denominational primaries, replacing St Stephen’s RC Primary and Newhill.

The Breadalbane community campus school will include nursery, primary and secondary provision for the Aberfeldy area.

The Loch Leven community campus will offer secondary school provision for Kinross while the Strathearn community campus will do likewise for Crieff.

As a result of the construction, access to Breadalbane Academy will be restricted, with no entry to the playing fields or the path up the east side of the fields.

A council spokesman said, “As a construction site, this entire area will be fenced off. The restriction will last for around 12 months while the decant accommodation is built.”

Access to the school from the Crieff Road entrance will be unaffected. Parents are being advised that the change-over for nursery pupils and any school visits should take place from there.

The spokesman added, “For safety reasons, it will additionally be necessary to limit access to the school from Alma Avenue during the school day.

“Both the pedestrian paths which allow access to the primary school from Alma Avenue will be sealed off and the only access will be through the vehicular gate.

“This gate will remain open from 8.30am until 9am and will not reopen until 3.30pm-4.00pm. During these times, no construction traffic will be allowed access to Alma Avenue.

“No pupils will be allowed on to Alma Avenue at any other time during the school day.”

Work is expected to begin on the other five campuses in January and February. All six are to be operational by 2011.

Parents and local residents with any queries regarding the works in Aberfeldy can contact the council’s Investment in Learning Team on 01738 476292 or Axiom Education’s contractors Laing O’Rourke on 07799 347178.