Is a second school in Balmedie the answer to overcrowding?

By Garrett Stell

January 17 2023, 5:00 pm

The ongoing overcrowding crisis at Balmedie and Foveran schools in Aberdeenshire is still proving to be a thorn in the council’s side. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Aberdeenshire Council seems no closer to resolving the overcrowding issues at Balmedie and Foveran Schools.

Local councillors gathered to discuss two possible solutions to overcrowding at both schools, but neither choice leapt out as a clear favourite.

On the one hand, the council could stand to lose £2.3 million in funding from developer contributions by replacing Foveran with a new school.

On the other, the council can keep those millions while taking on a further £20m new-build project in Balmedie.

A report presented to the Formartine Area Committee on Tuesday afternoon outlined the difficulties in each proposal. Councillors weren’t impressed by either option.

Many said that a second school in Balmedie could negatively impact pupils and families in the village. Others had concerns over the lack of a building site in Foveran, which will only add to the time pressures on each school.

Both schools on track for overcrowding

Council officers expect Foveran School to reach its capacity by the 2023-24 school year. The school holds 47 pupils and the current roll sits at 45. But that number is expected to grow to 52 next year and hit 86 (182% capacity) by 2027.

The situation at Balmedie isn’t as dire, but the roll is already at 407, compared to its capacity of 484. The roll could exceed that capacity by 2026, and there is expected to be a surge in housing coming to the area.

Balmedie has been the subject of heated debate about the need for a new school for years. In Autumn 2021, former councillor Allan Hendry launched a campaign for a new school, challenging the council’s forecasted enrolment statistics.

At the time, a council spokesman downplayed the urgency of the school’s capacity issues. They said that temporary classrooms added extra space, and that estimates at that time had proven incorrect.

But Tuesday’s area committee meeting directly addressed the overcrowding and presented two options for moving forward.

What are the options for Balmedie and Foveran schools?

The first possibility on the table is to replace Foveran with a new, larger school. The council does not own a suitable property in the area or have a site in mind to purchase.

There is no room at Foveran to expand the school. And even though there is space for an extension at Balmedie, council officers said that local traffic would not be able to cope with a larger school roll.

Council officers also made it clear that a new school in Foveran would not completely resolve the capacity issues at Balmedie. The school was priced at £18.4m – £23.4m, in addition to what it would cost to purchase any new land.

The second option is to build a new school in Balmedie, on a site that the council already owns. The site is located in the south of Balmedie.

The shaded pink region marked “OP1” is a council-owned property that officers said could be used for an additional school in Balmedie. Image: Aberdeenshire Council

Although this would eliminate any purchasing costs or lengthy land negotiations, council officers estimated the new school would cost the council between £17.7m and £22.7m. The land in question is currently zoned for housing.

Time is of the essence

Councillors were concerned about having two schools within a relatively small village like Balmedie, with councillor Isobel Davidson saying that it could cause division among families and pupils.

Councillors also questioned whether the fact that the council already owns the site of the potential school is enough of a reason to endorse the plan.

Others asked whether the council should consider different sites for the new Balmedie school, apart from the council-owned property in the south.

But perhaps the chief concern was timing.

The report warned that securing a site for a new project could add up to four years to the process. Council officers expect both schools to reach their capacities within that timeframe.

Despite having two options on the table, committee members didn’t endorse either. Instead, they are submitting a list of comments to the Education and Children’s Services Committee, which meets on February 2.