A £25 million rebuild of a Dundee school can finally go ahead after delays caused by a funding foul-up.
The sorry saga over the financial deal for the new Baldragon Academy has left the school community in limbo for months.
It was one of a dozen proposed schools and hospitals that had its future hanging in the balance as the Scottish Government tried to work out the implications of changes to European accounting guidance.
The builders can finally move in after Finance Secretary John Swinney announced on Thursday that the projects can be delivered.
Mr Swinney told Holyrood: “I have today advised Parliament that these projects can now proceed to financial close as soon as possible.
“I am pleased to be able to announce Baldragon Academy, part of our Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, can now begin to be delivered.
“This new school will provide a modern environment for children to learn in and will be a fantastic facility for the whole community to enjoy for generations to come.”
The 1,100-pupil Kirkton school, which was approved by the city council’s development management committee in September last year, was originally set to open in 2016.
Dundee City Council education convener Stewart Hunter said he is pleased the project would now go ahead and hopes further delays will be kept to a minimum. It was previously estimated the delay would be about four or five months.
He said: “We have only just heard the news so there is still some paperwork to be done but once that is completed our capital projects team will be able to give us an update and hopefully it won’t be delayed too much longer than we thought.
“All the staff and pupils will be absolutely delighted.”
Baldragon Academy was one of a dozen schools and hospitals running indefinitely behind schedule while Mr Swinney sorted out whether the projects would be classified as public or private by the EU. Mr Swinney tried to keep the project off the Government’s books by classifying it as a private sector project and was successful.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “This is welcome news and we are pleased for pupils and staff, but it is disappointing that this had been delayed in the first place. The delay was the fault of the SNP Government and it could have been avoided.”