Go-ahead given to new community school in Aviemore

The planning committee of the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has approved the construction of a community primary school in Aviemore.

The school – with capacity for 300 primary school pupils – will replace the existing Aviemore Primary School which is widely recognised to be deficient and in poor condition.

It will be built on land on the eastern end of Grampian Road in the Muirton area of Aviemore.

The planning committee – meeting in Grantown -on-Spey today (Friday 23 July 2010) – unanimously approved the development.

CNPA Planning Committee Convener, Duncan Bryden, said: “We fully support this facility which will meet the needs of pupils and the community of Aviemore well into the future.

It has been designed to meets the needs of those who will use it and at the same time meet the high environmental and aesthetic standards we expect within the Park.”

Details of the plans approved include:

• A single story building with four wings
• Several playground areas and courtyards, landscaped gardens and an outdoor teaching space arranged around the building
• There will be up to 14 classrooms, a nursery wing, sports hall, library as well as a community education wing
• The design and materials used will reflect the woodland setting
• The building will be heated by a biomass wood pellet boiler
• A community sports field, including a football pitch
• A community play garden using the play equipment from the existing play park
• Car parking for 122 cars

The design of the building is currently at BREEAM rating “very good” It was agreed the development should endeavour to achieve the maximum rating of “excellent” for sustainability.