Aberdeenshire Council bosses are using compulsory purchase powers to speed up a replacement for an crowded north-east primary school.
Proposals to relocated Markethill Primary School in Turriff have been on the cards for several years and in 2013 detailed plans for the £11m project went on show.
However no progress has been made and, with the school crying out for an upgrade, Aberdeenshire Council has submitted a compulsory purchase order to secure earmarked land on the northern edge of the town.
The local authority hopes to acquire a 332,000sq ft plot off Meadowbank Road. Planning bosses were previously interested in a 23,000 sq ft neighbouring strip of land, but no purchase order has been made.
A council spokeswoman explained the order was simply to speed up the process while negotiations are ongoing.
The existing Markethill Primary has a working capacity of 442 pupils. There are 437 children enrolled as of August, and this figure is expected to rise to 516 by 2019.
The proposed building is due to open by 2017 and would have space for more than 500 pupils, with potential for future expansion.
The spokeswoman added: “A replacement Markethill Primary School is required in order to meet the changing educational and community needs in Turriff.
“The proposed new school will increase the capacity and improve on the existing facilities.
“Negotiations have been ongoing with the landowner and are continuing, however, to minimise any potential delays, a compulsory purchase order has been submitted to the Scottish Government and this will determine the timescale of the programme.”
When plans were first revealed last year the chairwoman of the council’s education, learning and leisure committee, councillor Isobel Davidson, said: “The plan to relocate Markethill Primary to a new site in Turriff came about as the current primary school will not be able to cope with the rising roll in the near future, so it is good that something is being done about it.”
Members of the public now have four weeks to view the order – on display at council offices in Turriff and Ellon – and raise any objections or comments.
Members of the council’s Formartine area committee passed proposals for the new building in September 2011.