NEW pupils who have just started their school education at a Dumfries primary have been decanted into temporary accommodation.
And it’s likely that the P1 children at Laurieknowe Primary, along with kids in P2 and P3, will remain in these temporary classrooms for the entire duration of the school term.
The issue was raised by North West Dumfries Councillor Paula Stevenson, above, who has concerns about the kids being in these temporary buildings over the winter period.
Laurieknowe pupils were moved into the temporary classrooms so that works could progress on the removal of potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the roof of the school.
The extensive work required at Laurieknowe Primary covers an area of 2031 sq m and will cost £3,046,500 for full removal.
An update was provided on the RAAC removal project at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s education committee last week.
North West Dumfries Councillor Paula Stevenson asked: “How long do we expect them to be in that temporary accommodation?
“And why has it taken so long to finish the RAAC work?”
Mohammed Agoun, the council’s property, estates and capital programmes service manager, said: “Initially phase one was always the mitigation to address the critical areas. All that has been completed.
“The next phase was the removal phase, and we always planned that for three years.
“With Laurieknowe in particular, over the past six months we’ve achieved quite good progress. We removed about 40-50 percent of the RAAC.
“But now we’re going into areas where it’s getting difficult to relocate the children within the school, and the removal is taking place in P1, P2, and P3.
“Especially with the new P1 kids coming into the school this academic year, we provided them with temporary accommodation so as to not disturb them.
“I don’t envisage this temporary accommodation being there for a long time. I would like to say that, by the end of this academic year, they should be away.”
Councillor Paula Stevenson added: “It’s just a bit concerning that these temporary classrooms are going to be used over the winter period.”
RAAC removal works are also being done at Gatehouse Primary, Carrutherstown Primary, and Dumfries Academy, as well as Annan Swimming Pool.
The initial phase one remedial works cost £920,000, while complete removal will be a staggering £7.6m more.
RAAC is an inferior material that some structural engineers have warned could eventually lead to a collapse in buildings. While there is no suggestion of any immediate danger, Dumfries and Galloway Council has taken necessary action to make sure these buildings are safe.
