Peterhead Community Campus Development Set to Open in August 2028

The Peterhead Community Campus project moves forward. Councillors decided to invest in the new Peterhead Academy build, with the Kinmundy Road site expected to open in August 2028. This decision follows a review of the current school, which they found needs replacing.

Original plans changed; Dales Park, Meethill, and Anna Ritchie will stay open and won’t be replaced. Councillors weighed costs and taxpayer value, which led to their project decision.

Judy Whyte commented after the council meeting, pleased they have project clarity. A new school will now meet pupils’ needs and should prepare them for later life. She understands the primary and special school concerns, as they aren’t in the project anymore. They will discuss how to improve those schools, planning additional investment there later.

Rising costs changed initial project ideas, but Whyte thinks this is still an ambitious project. Officers explored every option carefully; while they can’t build everything they first wanted, financial pressures mean the initial plan isn’t doable.

The council still cares about the other schools. They want open community talk about them, ensuring positive learning for those pupils still. They want Dales Park, Meethill, and Anna Ritchie schools to improve.

Contractor issues previously caused project delays, and supply problems also slowed it down. The council ordered an outside review to learn from this, but the review scope is still getting defined.

They will study what to do with the old Academy site, which might become a community space later on. This study will check scope and financial impact and assess the schedule timeline.

The Director of Education must now update the council. He will report back in June about everything, covering design, schedule, funding, and procurement.