THE LATEST step in Perth and Kinross Council’s plans for new schools was taken yesterday.

In the £100 million investment six educational and community centres will be built and yesterday a turf-cutting ceremony marked the start of works for the North Inch Community Campus in Perth.

Pupils, staff, parents, local councillors, community representatives and Perth and Kinross Council and Axiom Education officials took part in the ceremony at the site at St Columba’s High School.

The ceremony began with a prayer of dedication from the Rt Rev Bishop Vincent Logan.

The North Inch Community Campus will deliver a new Roman Catholic school providing nursery, primary and secondary education, to replace St Columba’s High School and St John’s Primary School.

The new school will be known as St John’s Academy.

Community facilities will include meeting rooms, a dance studio, fitness suite, music and drama studios, a public library and an all-weather sports pitch. The campus will open in two phases, with the secondary school and community facilities expected in late March 2010 and the primary and nursery school at the end of October 2011.

Council leader Councillor Ian Miller said, “The new North Inch Community Campus will provide modern, high-quality education and community facilities for Perth and it gives me great pleasure to attend the turf-cutting today here at St Columba’s.

“Work is now under way at all six campus sites and I am sure the schools and communities involved are looking forward to the day when they can start using their new facilities.”

Perth City North councillor Archie MacLellan said, “Today sees a very positive and welcome step forward not only for St Columba’s and St John’s Primary School, who have been waiting for the new campus to be built, but also for the local communities who now see the opportunities that are arising for their involvement in the new development.”