A new primary school at the huge Bertha Park housing development in Perth has been given the green light.
Perth and Kinross Council’s learning and families committee agreed unanimously to approve the school and nursery on Wednesday.
The new school, set to accommodate more than 400 pupils across 14 classrooms, is scheduled to open in August 2026.
The decision comes after officers recommended councillors approve the proposals in their consultation report.
Bertha Park High School opened in 2019.
Councillor questions funds for new Bertha Park school
Concerns were raised by Councillor Liz Barrett, who asked if officers were confident there is “enough money” to complete the project, previously estimated to cost £14m, within the proposed timescale.
Planning officer Brian Reid said: “We are as confident as we reasonably can be at this time with regards to the timescales.
“They are in line with similar projects that we have undertaken.”
He added “any further cost update will be done through the finance and resources committee”.
Following the decision to approve the school, Councillor Caroline Shiers said: “We can look forward to a new primary school at Bertha Park and the very positive outcome it will have for the children and families in the local area.”
Councillor Brian Leishman also welcomed the report.
He said: “Embarking on an ambitious housing programme as part of the solution to the housing inequality crisis we currently face is necessary and the need for a primary school in the Bertha Park development is obvious.”
Building work on the new primary school and nursery is expected to start in November 2024 and be completed in June 2026.
Registration for the new school will begin in January 2026.
Ruthvenfield Primary almost closed
When plans for the Bertha Park school were first mooted, concerns were raised that it could lead to the closure of nearby Ruthvenfield Primary.
Some pupils currently attending Ruthvenfield will fall into the new Bertha Park catchment area, leading to fears its pupil roll would drop.
In August 2021 it was agreed Ruthvenfield would stay open with a new catchment area and upgrades to its Victorian building.
On Wednesday councillors also rubber-stamped changes to the catchment areas of nearby Ruthvenfield Primary School, Pitcairn Primary, Luncarty Primary and Tulloch Primary, to take the new school into account.
There is a 30-year masterplan for housebuilding at Almond Valley, Bertha Park and Perth West.
Over the next 10 years 2,512 houses are expected to be built generating roughly 678 primary school pupils.
The consultation report explains how the new primary would have capacity for 434 pupils with 14 classrooms but “would not open initially with this number of pupils or classes”.
