Plans for an £11million replacement for an overcrowded north-east primary school could finally be approved next week.
Markethill Primary in Turriff is already over capacity, and earlier this year councillors were forced to cap the school roll to stop it spiralling further out of control.
Now the council’s education committee will be asked to back plans to close the school, and build a larger replacement with space for an initial 505 pupils.
Money has already been allocated in the local authority’s capital plan and under the proposals, the new school – which would have room to expand again in the future if necessary – would open in 2017.
Councillors have been asked to agree to discontinue teaching at Markethill Primary at the end of the summer term in 2017, with the pupils moving to the new Meadowbank Road site after the holidays.
The proposals follow an extensive public consultation. The current pupil catchment area would not be changed.
The council’s education director Maria Walker added that some “flexibility” would be needed for the official opening date of the new building.
But she said: “Officers within education and children’s services have carefully considered all of the responses to the consultation and have made a recommendation in their report. The recommendation is that the council should adopt the proposal.”
In a report to councillors from Education Scotland, an inspector added: “Aberdeenshire Council’s proposal to replace Markethill Primary School has clear educational benefits for current and future pupils of Markethill Primary School and the local community.”
The report has already been discussed by members of the Formartine area committee, who urged their colleagues on the education committee to bring forward the proposals as soon as possible.
It is understood the education service will draw up a detail report to take back to local members early next year.
The committee will consider the proposals when they meet on Thursday.