All 124 primaries in South Lanarkshire are to be rebuilt or refurbished over the next 15 years in a pound;400 million programme that will exclude closures. The first phase of the scheme, costing pound;116 million, will be funded by the council, which is avoiding the public private partnership (PPP) route favoured by others.
The authority plans to rebuild 69 schools and will carry out major works at a further 38 and minor refurbishments at another 17.
In similar vein to Glasgow, primaries will be remodelled as pre-12 centres and bases for lifelong learning. Nursery education will be included. Eddie McAvoy, council leader, said the authority had considered closures but instead favoured cutting capacity in existing schools to adapt to falling rolls and changing needs. At present, there are 25,500 primary pupils while schools have capacity for 37,686.
Officials estimate 166 classrooms are surplus, a figure that will rise to 335 within 10 years unless there are moves to rationalise.
The first 20 schools in line for modernisation have been identified. Three new buildings are under way.
