A new Peterhead Academy is set to open in 2028.
If all goes to plan, pupils could start at the Kinmundy Road facility in August of that year.
The decision to build a new school was made during a full council meeting about the £71million Peterhead Community Campus project on Thursday.
Councillors also scrapped plans for the Anna Ritchie School and the merged Meethill and Dale Park schools, whose current facilities will be retained.
The director of Education and Children’s Service is expected to report back on the design and finances in June.
A feasibility study to determine the future of the current site will also be carried out.
Provost Judy Whyte said: “For the academy, today’s decision will provide pupils with a new school which meets the needs of pupils and prepares them for work and life in the 21st century.
“We recognise, however, that the decision will be disappointing for the primary and special schools no longer within scope of the project.
“Discussions are underway regarding future improvement and investment in those schools.
“In the current financial climate, we are not in a position to build what we initially set out to, but this remains an ambitious project.”
New Peterhead Academy to open in 2028
“Officers have explored all possible options, and whilst this is a big, complex issue, the rising financial pressures mean that continuing with the project as originally envisaged is not viable,” she continued.
“As a council, we remain committed to a discussion in the community to ensure Dales Park, Meethill and Anna Ritchie schools can keep providing a positive learning environment for our pupils.”
Anna Ritchie parents welcome decision but say they are ‘eager for clarity’
In a statement, Anna Richie’s parent council said: “Rather than being a disappointment, we feel this outcome positively reflects the general parent opinion that Anna Ritchie’s pupils greatly benefit from their current position and the inherently necessary specialised setup, and that the implications for moving to a joint campus have always come with great concerns for the parent cohort.
“However, the parent council are now eager for prompt confirmation and clarity on the council’s statement that they ‘will ensure these schools meet condition and suitability for our pupils'”.
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