North Lanarkshire councillors yesterday (Thursday) ratified proposals to build a new St Ambrose High and a new Drumpark Secondary on a co-located site within Drumpellier Park at Townhead Road in Coatbridge.

The proposals – which had been approved by the Learning & Leisure Services Committee in December – were ratified at the full meeting of North Lanarkshire Council in the Civic Centre in Motherwell.

The new schools form part of Schools and Centres 21 – the new phase of North Lanarkshire Council's £250 million school modernisation programme and are designed to address the accommodation issues within the current St Ambrose High and Drumpark School, improve access to facilities and activities, enhance accommodation and specialist teaching areas, and provide an improved teaching and learning environment.

Speaking after the council's decision today, Murdo Maciver, North Lanarkshire Council's Head of Educational Resources, said: "Again, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in the extensive and extended consultation on the three options for the two schools and who came along to our public meetings. We know that this is a very important issue for both the school community and the local neighbourhood and it is only right that they played such an active part in this phase of the development plan.

"Today's decision by the council confirms that Townhead Road – which was also the preferred option of the vast majority of those who responded to our consultation exercise – is the preferred site for the new schools. We did look at other sites in the relevant catchment area. From the three that went out for consultation, this location came out on top as it provides size and scope for us to deliver an inclusive campus and the community facilities our residents both want and deserve.

"I am well aware of the issues raised by those who did not select this site and, while we take these on board, we do not agree that these issues prevent us from delivering major new facilities for the communities in north Coatbridge.

"For example, we accept that the site conditions are difficult; however, our investigations to date indicate that any difficulties can be resolved and the removal of materials from the site to allow works to go ahead will take place under strict licensed conditions.

"As with any site in a position like this, further works will be required to complete a more thorough investigation of the site. However, based on the professional technical advice we have received, we are confident that all site-related issues can be resolved and the project can progress and we have budgeted accordingly.

"We will also be enhancing the quality of leisure and recreation facilities on offer to local communities by providing two new grass and one all-weather pitch within the schools grounds as well as upgrading the remaining existing pitches. And much of the green and all wooded space will be retained, with the core area of Drumpellier Park untouched.

"Overall, this is about creating a modern, inclusive education environment that will help prepare our pupils for their future careers and lives while enhancing the quality of community, leisure and recreation facilities on offer to everyone.

"The Townhead Road site allows us to do that and, with the council's approval, we can now progress our plans to put service and people first by establishing a new St Ambrose High and Drumpark Secondary."

Councillor Jim Logue, Convener of the Learning & Leisure Services Committee, which had previously approved the proposals, said: "As I stated at the council meeting, there is no ideal site for these new schools that ticks all the boxes and each site presents its own very real challenges.

"For example, option one – rebuilding on the current St Ambrose site – would not allow us to deliver a comprehensive and fully-inclusive education programme for all our pupils. Due to its geographical location, the size of the site and the surrounding infrastructure, the St Ambrose site could not deliver the integrated campus model that has been agreed for Townhead Road. This would create very real safety and accessibility problems for the Drumpark pupils which would, in effect, discriminate against these pupils by not providing them with the same opportunities as the pupils from the mainstream school.

"At the same time, it would extend the period of time during which pupils from St Ambrose would be educated in a sub-standard environment, as our only option would be to decant the whole school – probably to the Coatbridge High site once it is vacated – while work progressed at the St Ambrose site. This would not only disrupt the teaching and learning for St Ambrose High's pupils, it would also have a negative effect on the pupils of Greenhill Primary as it would mean a delay of two to three years in the rebuilding of the new Greenhill Primary on the Coatbridge High site.

"These very real implications for our pupils, staff and communities are – in my opinion – simply not acceptable. We want to provide pupils with a quality education in a quality environment and ensure that the wider community can enjoy significantly enhanced community facilities. This can be achieved at the Townhead Road site and it is disappointing that others cannot see the benefits of this."

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