Tuesday June 24th 2025
School in East Lothian
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Schools across East Lothian face breaching capacity unless expansions go ahead with one primary needing to be extended just five years after it first opened its doors.
Councillors today approved plans to ‘unpause’ several expansion projects which had been put on hold due to budget cuts after their head of education said they must to move forward “due to need”.
Of the eight projects which have been reinstated by councillors six will not cost the local authority any money and will be covered by developer contributions.
They include providing extra teaching and toilet provision at Elphinstone and Macmerry Primary Schools, additional toilet and catering provision at Knox Academy, additional teaching and early years provision at Longniddry Primary, and investigations into future expansion possibilities at Windygoul Primary and Preston Lodge High School.
A planned extension at Letham Mains Primary School, which opened in Haddington in February 2021 was approved with additional funding from the council of £1.9m involved while more than £300,000 will be investied in increasing playing pitches at Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School in Musselburgh.
Council leader Norman Hampshire said the county was one of the fastest growing areas in Scotland with more than 1,000 new homes being completed every year for the last three years.
He said: “We can’t know who will move into these new homes but there are a lot of young people moving in who are preparing to start families. We face significant expansion.”
The meeting of the full council heard a review of all paused projects across the learning estate had been carried out in East Lothian.
Members were told: “As a result of this review, it is recommended that several projects be reinstated on the capital programme and that a number are reviewed further at the end of 2025 once updated roll projections are available.
“It should be noted that further requirements may arise following updated roll projections and ongoing reviews of our Learning Estate, but consideration has been given to meet immediate priorities within existing contributions where possible and any further requirements will be included in future capital plan proposals.”
Projects that remain paused at the moment include work at Wallyford Primary School, Rosehill High School, North Berwick High School and Prestonpans Tower Upper and Lower Campus.
Councillors unanimously agreed to unpause the projects put forward by officers.
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