The Cairngorn National Park Authority has approved plans for a new £9 million community school to be built in Aviemore.

Located centrally in the village, the school will feature a range of community facilities including a community library, fitness suite with changing facilities, a meeting room, a learning centre and a service point reception with interview rooms as well as:-

• 10 primary classrooms, 2 general purpose classrooms and a resources area;

• Nursery and childcare facilities (with independent access);

• Assisted support needs facilities;

• Multi-purpose sports hall;

• Kitchen and dining facilities;

• School library (joint facility with community library)

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• Special needs unit resources

The project has been designed by The Highland Council’s Housing and Property Service on behalf of the Director of Education, Culture and Sport, Hugh Fraser and has included community input and consultation.

Welcoming the news, Hugh Fraser said: “This is very good news and I am delighted that we are now in a position to get the project moving. It is a very interesting building which will provide a focus for the whole community so I hope the pupils and the wider community will enjoy seeing it take shape.”

This is the first new school to be built in the Cairngorms National Park and will be an example of good eco-friendly practice. The highly insulated building will use local materials in the façade and will incorporate a number of environmental design features.

These include solar screens to shade the various courtyards and external teaching areas, the collection and storage of rain water for toilet flushing and a biomass boiler system. Teaching areas will be naturally lit using roof lights which will open to allow the building to be ventilated naturally.

Wind catcher vented hoods on the roof will draw fresh air to the rear of the classrooms and shared resource areas and the gables of the building will project out to form both bicycle shelters and weather protected areas.

(GK)