A plan to house up to 100 Ukrainian refugees on the site of a former Arbroath primary school has been dropped.
Under a pilot Scottish Government project, the families were to have been accommodated in ‘modular’ homes in the grounds of the former St Thomas RC school on the town’s Seaton Road.
It would have seen the creation of up to 75 temporary buildings on the site of the former primary.
But the Scottish Government has now abandoned the project.
Minister for Ukraine refugees Neil Gray said the scheme would not be value for money.
What did the pilot propose?
Angus Council signed up to the plan in December.
The intention was to site the modular buildings in the grounds of the former primary, which closed in 2020.
Angus officials said they hoped the scheme could have been up and running within weeks.
The Scottish Government commissioned a US-based international foreign aid consultancy, Palladium Group, to work with civil servants and councils on the project.
Dumfries and Galloway and Falkirk councils were also part of the pilot.
The St Thomas site is earmarked by Angus Council for around 40 affordable homes.
But it was chosen for the Ukrainian pilot because of its good transport links and local access to English classes
Other sites in Monifieth and Brechin were also looked at.
Community consultation events took place in Arbroath to explain the proposal.
Minister’s decision
In a letter to the Scottish Parliament this week, Mr Gray revealed the plan had been ditched.
“While feedback from partners and local communities has been positive, after careful examination I have concluded a pilot would not represent value for money when compared to continuing to make use of more traditional short-term accommodation, such as hotels or self-catering apartments,” he said.
“I am thankful to our partners including Angus Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Falkirk Council and Palladium for their work to scope the proposed pilot, and assure you that learning accumulated during this process will help inform next steps.”
A council spokesperson said: “The council and Scottish Government would like to express their considerable thanks to the many members of the local community for their support and engagement in this work.”
The council was not able to confirm how many refugees have already come to Angus.
Financial pressures
Arbroath Conservative councillor Derek Wann said: “Angus was quick to open its doors to Ukrainian nationals fleeing Putin’s aggression in their homeland, and has been as welcoming as any local authority in the UK.
“This blow from the Scottish Government means more days in hotels for dozens of people, now that the super sponsor scheme is over.
“The fact we can’t act alone to develop St Thomas is a sad indictment of where the council is at now – it was an admirable idea but there is barely headroom in the reducing budget for statutory services.”
Conversation