Schools, community centres and Mastrick Library could all be closed as Aberdeen City Council investigates bringing various Northfield services together at one huge complex.
This is the latest radical ploy from cash-strapped local authority top brass, who have revealed the running costs of several community facilities.
Last year six primary schools in Northfield came under threat of being mothballed due to falling pupil numbers.
Bramble Brae, Heathryburn, Manor Park, Muirfield, Quarryhill and Westpark were all deemed “inefficient to run” as a significant amount of space was being left unused.
A fresh dossier has revealed these cost the council nearly £3.5 million a year to run.
And now city leaders are considering putting all of them – and other community services in the Northfield area – under the same roof to slash that.
How did this all begin?
This latest scheme has its roots in the plans to consolidate Northfield primary schools.
A report from 2023 revealed there is a “significant” overprovision, with rolls dwindling year on year.
Numbers at Bramble Brae School are expected to fall to 65% of its capacity by 2028, while Muirfield School is expected to eventually drop to 27%.
Three feeder schools at Bridge of Don have also been primed to be merged into a potential super-school for the same reasons.
However, documents say this has now been paused as the council focuses on finding the best solution for the ones in Northfield.
The idea for a shake-up grew arms and legs last year when it emerged that Northfield Academy had potentially risky Raac concrete panels in its roof.
Council accountants began wondering whether it was worth shelling out millions of pounds on repairs, when a replacement building could instead be erected.
It was decided to look into accommodating both Northfield primary schools and a possible replacement academy all in the one facility.
What has happened now?
The idea has now gone even further, with council officers suggesting there might be scope to combine the schools with other community services too.
These include family centres, libraries and community halls in Northfield – all of which could end up under the same roof in one huge complex.
Officers reckon this would slash the council’s expenditure on underused public buildings, while still preserving all of the services amid budget cuts.
And to help councillors decide which should be mothballed – and which are worth saving – they have prepared an area-wide review of the local authority’s assets.
And what could close?
Council chiefs are expected to review the list – which includes the running costs for each of the buildings – at a meeting on Thursday.
Facilities at Middlefield, Mastrick, Cummings Park, Northfield and Heathryfold will all be considered for closure and relocation by finance bosses.
Mastrick Library and the adjacent community centre are among those facing the axe, with a combined annual cost of £90,826.
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The Len Ironside Centre for people with learning disabilities, as well as the Williamson and the Quarry family centres could be shut too.
Costing councillors nearly £48,000 each year, Northfield’s community centre on Byron Square is also under threat.
And in a shock move, the £2.6m Middlefield Community Project hub which opened just five years ago is also on the line.
Northfield and Mastrick North councillors Ciaran McRae and Donna Clark said combining services into one building could ensure their future in the long run.
They added: “The presence of RAAC within Northfield Academy, coupled with the number of council buildings in the area, means we have the opportunity to take a big-picture approach to ensure we continue to provide the services people deserve in Northfield, Middlefield and Mastrick over the next five to ten years.”
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