Mayfield campus is given the green light

An artist's impression of new Mayfield community campus. (Pic: Midlothian Council)

A new community campus on the site of a former primary school will bring together community and school facilities in one place.

Midlothian councillors this week approved plans to demolish the Mayfield Primary School building and approve what was described as a new community facility with ‘a school at its heart’.

The new school will bring together both Mayfield Primary School and St Lukes RC Primary School as well as a nursery and additional support needs facilities on a single campus.

It will also include a grass seven-a-side football pitch, full-sized 3G football pitch, a ‘Wee Forest’ wooded area, basketball court, garden allotment area, community garden, play park and a pump track.

The design and access statement for the new site said: “By creating a true community campus with dedicated spaces for the community both internally and externally, it is envisaged that this will enhance the sense of ownership over the site by the Mayfield community.”

It added: “Midlothian Council has identified the need for a new school and community facility to replace the existing Mayfield and St Lukes RC Primary School.

“The age, size, and layout of the existing building, along with its running costs is making it increasingly challenging to manage, operate and maintain.

“Furthermore, in the years since the existing school was constructed the approach to learning and teaching has changed so dramatically, that the current building no longer responds to the needs of the young learners.

“The new school will provide a non-denominational primary school accommodating 701 pupils across the two primary schools, an ASN facility for 48 pupils and an early learning facility for 128 pupils in addition to community facilities.”

Councillors approved the plans unanimously at the meeting.

They were told only one representation had been received from the public on the application which neither supported or objected but raised uncertainty over the future of the Midlothian Sure Start building which currently operates on the site.

Planning officers said the future of the building which is leased by the organisation from the council was not a planning issue and would have to be discussed between both parties separately.