Works to build state-of-the-art West Lothian school to start in April
Works to build a state-of-the-art primary school in West Lothian will get under way in April, with the new building set to accommodate 462 pupils and 80 nursery places.
Craigshill Primary in Livingston will be built on the former site of Riverside Primary which closed in July 2023 due to issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
The multi-million-pound project is expected to take around 15 months, with the new school ready for the start of the August 2027 term. The proposed three-storey primary school will bring both the current Letham and Riverside schools together.
Executive councillor for education Andrew McGuire said: "I'm delighted that the delivery of the Craigshill Primary took an important step forward.
"With construction starting in April, it will allow us to have the new school ready and open in time for the start of the 2027/28 school term. I'm confident that a superb new Craigshill Primary will be a huge asset to the local community for many years to come."
The £25.8m project will include an integrated early years facility, outdoor learning and play areas, a sports pitch, landscaping and a new car park. The project is funded by West Lothian Council and the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP), a joint scheme between Scottish and local government.
Planning documents note the ‘compact’ three-storey design allows for a ‘decreased footprint’ and will ‘encourage a tremendous sense of community within the school’ with clustered learning spaces being ‘representative of Riverside and Letham coming together to form one new school.’
The estimated cost of delivering the school rose by £1.8 million due to unforeseen issues with ground conditions and the demolition of the former Riverside Primary building, including the safe removal of extensive asbestos and RAAC.