Temporary classrooms could stay longer at Elgin High School as extension opening pushed back

Press and Journal

27-04-2025

Can you believe it's time for Planning Ahead again already?
It's our weekly round-up of all the planning news in Elgin, Buckie, Forres and right across Moray.
As always, there's quite a lot to get through this week so I'm not going to hang about.
This month the Press and Journal covered concerns raised by residents south of Elgin about a quarry that has been proposed in their rural community.
Now it can be revealed that more than 250 objections have already been submitted about the plans.
The price the Leys Road toilet block in Forres sold for has been revealed, and it's significantly less than the council's asking price.
And alterations have been proposed for Elgin Community Centre.
Let's get started though with plans submitted for Elgin High School and what it might mean for the extension due to be built there.
Despite only opening in 2017, Elgin High School is already one of the most full schools in Moray.
Latest Scottish Government figures show it currently has a roll of 842 students, meaning it is operating at 93.7% capacity.
An extension for Elgin High School to take the capacity up to 1,150 pupils has already been commissioned.
Initially it was hoped that construction would begin early this year with the new building open August next year.
However, final plans for the project are yet to even be submitted, let alone any work on-site beginning.
The latest update presented to Moray Council in February explains the project has been 'paused' for 12 months to allow more studies to be done on future capacity needs.
It means the expected handover date on the extension has already been pushed back to December 2026.
Meanwhile, Moray Council has this week submitted plans to extend the period the existing temporary classrooms can remain outside the school.
Currently, they can remain next to the sports pitch until January 12 next year. Moray Council now wants to extend this until March 2028.
Last week we spoke to residents in Thomshill and Birnie after it was revealed a sand and gravel quarry and a concrete plant had been proposed.
The rural community on the southern outskirts of Elgin is anxious dust, noise and traffic from the site will 'put profit above people'.
Aberdeen-based developers Leiths have stressed there will be 'no unacceptable effects' from noise or dust.
However, it has not stopped residents from submitting hundreds of objections to oppose the plans.
Now it can be revealed Moray Council has already received more than 250 objections from locals with others saying they visit Moray Archery regularly, which is directly opposite the proposed Dykeside Farm site.
There has been one letter of support backing the plans, saying any firm wanting to bring business to Moray should be supported providing they take the necessary steps to minimise their impact on the area.
The writer adds that they believe proposed embankments will adequately reduce noise and dust from the quarry once operational.
Moray Council currently expects to make a decision the project by the end of July.
When Moray Council put the former public toilets on Leys Road up for sale they put a price tag of offers over £45,000 on them.
Now it can be revealed that they sold for £36,000 – meaning they sold for 20% less than they were valued at.
The loos were shut by the council in 2018 as part of budget cuts and have been boarded up ever since.
Charity Ray's Opportunities was revealed as the buyer by the Press and Journal last month.
The Forres-based group aims to support people of all ages who have physical, learning, or hidden disabilities as well as their families.
The charity wants to reopen the public toilets to help the wellbeing of the community as well as provide extra facilities for shoppers and visitors.
Charity Elgin Town Hall for the Community has been forced to move from the building it shares its name with as work commences to refurbish and extend it.
The group is currently primarily operating from the nearby Elgin Community Centre, although it does have plans to run events at other venues during the disruption.
One of the first events in the new home is a comedy night, due to be held on May 10.
Now the group has applied for permission to erect a sign displaying 'Elgin Town Hall for the Community' on the left side of the building, as viewed from the Lossie Green car park.
The charity has applied for permission for the sign to be there for two years.