Planning permission has been granted for a new joint schools’ campus in Newmains but the matter now has to be referred to the Scottish Government.
The application for the relocation of Newmains Primary and St Brigid’s Primary was approved by North Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee.
But an objection by SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) means it will now be reviewed by Scottish Government Ministers.
The proposed development will see the primary schools move to a shared campus along with the Newmains Family Centre.
The new campus will include sports facilities such as an all-weather floodlit pitch.
The site for proposed development is on greenbelt land north of the current St Brigid’s Primary. SEPA has objected to the development on the grounds of lack of information on the flood risk issues at the site, and that it may “place building and persons at flood risk”.
The regulator agency has stated it will review its objection on the condition it is referred to Scottish Ministers.
A council spokesperson, said: “SEPA have raised concerns about potential flooding of the site and the measures proposed in the planning application to alleviate the risk of flooding. As result, although the application was granted at the council’s Planning Committee on February 25, it will be referred to Scottish Ministers for a final decision.”
The new campus’ proposed site lies close to residential streets — west of Stewart Crescent and Park Drive, south of Lawrie Street and West Place, and to the north of Newton Drive, Tollpark Crescent and Claire Street.
To the west of the site lies open space where the boundary overlaps with Branchal Moss.
The new campus building will be principally single storey in height, two storey in the middle and the layout has a hub with “wheel spoke” design feature.
The sports facilities planned include a full size synthetic pitch designed by a recognised SAPCA (The Sports and Play Construction Association) registered specialist contractor.
Amongst the conditions attached to permission being granted was that the campus’ pitch will be fully operational and available for use no longer than a year after the opening of the school campus.
A further caveat was that the sports pitches will have lighting switched off and won’t be used between 9pm and 9am.
