PLANS for a major new educational and community hub in Faifley are set to get the green light from the local authority’s planning committee this week.
The bid for a new shared campus to house St Josephs and Edinbarnet Primary schools alongside a space for early learning centres, a new library and a site which will replace the Skypoint Centre have been recommended for approval when they go before West Dunbartonshire councillors on Wednesday, September 20.
The submitted plans show the early learning and childcare centres at Auchnacraig and Lennox will also be encompassed in the new building as well as a new multi-use games area (MUGA) and an all-weather football pitch.
The report handed to the planning committee details the reason for the development is to replace the current buildings at the two primary schools and at the Skypoint Centre due to their “condition.”
It reads: “The current school buildings at St Joseph’s and Edinbarnet require to be renewed due to their condition and will be replaced with new accessible campus that is designed to deliver the Curriculum for Excellence.
“The Skypoint Centre, also located in Faifley, which provides local community services, is under-utilised, and has reached the end of its serviceable lifespan.”
The report goes on to say the new, modern facility is as a result of “significant investment” by the council.
The site will take up just shy of 22,000sqm and will be located at Faifley Road, on the current site of St Joseph’s and on the “opposite side of the road from St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and east of the Faifley Knowes".
Once the new building is completed and occupied, the existing school building at St Joseph’s will be demolished and parking spaces and a drop-off area for the site will be constructed in its place, with access from Faifley Road.
The car park will contain 95 parking spaces and six disabled parking spaces with the associated footway access will be built.
Twelve of the spaces will provide electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities, with another 38 spaces having capacity for future conversion to accommodate additional EV parking requirements.
Bodies such as Scottish Water, the council’s roads service, greenspace and biodiversity had no objections to the bid, although Glasgow Airport did stipulate conditions around the Bird Hazard Management plan. Asking for provisions to be made to ensure birds do not nest on the new development's roofing.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here