Plans to completely shut down an Aberdeenshire primary school and build a brand new replacement have been approved by councillors.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch area committee agreed to close Inverurie’s Market Place School during the 2016-17 term and replace it with a completely new building.
The new school will be constructed around 1.5 miles north of its current site, off of the B9170 Inverurie to Oldmeldrum road.
Yesterday project leader, Rachael Goldring, said that the new school was necessary given the growth in population.
She said that by 2018 there could be 421 pupils at the school – which has a capacity for 219.
There are currently 217 pupils in the school, while the new school would have a capacity of 540 pupils.
Inverurie is also served by Port Elphinstone School, Kellands School and Strathburn School.
An Aberdeesnhrie Council spokesman said: “The core facilities within the existing school are sufficient at present, however as the roll of the school continues to rise due to housing developments, the facilities will become insufficient.
“As the roll of the school increases, the school will have pressures in terms of the classroom size, PE and dining facilities.”
Aberdeenshire provost Hamish Vernal described the current building as a “great school” but added that it was “not fit for purpose” for future years.
A public meeting on the plans for the new school will be held today at 7pm at the current Market Place School.