Work began today on the first stage of a £15m redevelopment of Lochaber High School.

Michael Foxley, Leader of The Highland Council and Councillor for Fort William and Ardnamurchan was joined by the two youngest pupils Bryan Campbell and Bronwyn Strachan while cutting the first turfs for the new sports centre development adjacent to the school.

Also present were Head Teacher Jim Sutherland, Depute Head Teacher Isobel MacKenzie, local Highland Council members and 50 pupil council representatives who will be some of the first pupils to make use of the new facilities.

The first stage, costing £7m will be the development of a new sports centre that will provide first class indoor facilities for the school.

These facilities will include, a 4-court sports hall, gymnasium, fitness suite, drama studio and new changing facilities. As part of the development a separate entrance to the facility will be created that will include landscaping and an external performance venue that will have been designed in consultation with pupils. The building will use low carbon technology for heating and ventilation, in line with The Highland Council's commitment to sustainability.

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This first stage will also see the demolition of further parts of the High School that are in poor condition, the refurbishment of classrooms in the 1950s building and provision of decant accommodation to make way for that work.

Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Michael Foxley said: "I am delighted to see work commence on this major development of the school which is the first step in developing the High School into a 21st Century educational facility."

Jim Sutherland, Head Teacher he was "delighted" that, after many years of planning, the construction phase has begun.

The first phase of the redevelopment of the school for the Education Culture and Sport Service is being undertaken by Morrison Construction, with design management services being provided 'in house' by the Councils Housing and Property Service with Project Management being undertaken by Heery International Limited as part of the Housing and Property Service Management of the development.

Donald McLachlan, operations director for Morrison Construction, said: "We look forward to working with The Highland Council on the delivery of this contract which is a major step forward in terms of community and recreation facilities for the residents of Fort William and beyond.

"With the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow in 2014, I hope that we might even see some of those gaining the benefit of these state of the art facilities going on to represent their country in a few years time."

(GK/JM)