A senior Aberdeen City Council official has admitted a planned housing development in the west end would push pupil numbers over the limit at a flagship school.
Mile End Primary is currently operating close to its capacity of 415 – and concerns have been raised about the impact of further homes in the catchment zone.
Property developer Dandara is proposing to build about 150 properties on the site of the former Raeden Centre on Midstocket Road.
The council’s director of enterprise, planning and infrastructure, Gordon McIntosh, has said that the new scheme could mean the equivalent of an extra class at the school.
The comments, in a written response to a letter from Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart, come a week after the education, culture and sport committee agreed to cap pupil numbers at 18 city schools for the academic year ahead.
The plans for the former Raeden special needs school are in addition to a development at Oakhill Grange, with a further 130 properties.
Mr McIntosh said: “Consideration of a variety of options would be necessary in advance of houses being built. These include relocation of external services to another location, re-configuration of existing accommodation at the school, extension of the school, and any other viable alternatives.”
Mr Stewart said parents and residents will be concerned at the implications of the projected increase in the roll.
He said: “There are existing problems in the Mile End catchment area that need addressed and, given some of the options on the table now, people will be anxious to see what conditions are placed on this development by the council.
“But what is abundantly clear is that the status quo at Mile End will not be an option if planning permission for Raeden is granted.”
Alex Nicholl, who is on the school’s parent council, said: “Mile End is one of Aberdeen’s flagship 3Rs schools and it is clear by the number of parents who want to put their kids there that it has been a success.
“The whole ethos of the school is inclusivity, but these proposals would result in pupils being shoehorned into areas of the building which were not designed for classes.
“It we do this, then the whole concept goes out the window – up till now we have tinkered with the school’s boundaries, but it now needs major surgery.”