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.EDINBVRGH.THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCil

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren

Convener - Education, Children & Families

Kezia Dugdale MSP Date 27 October 2011

Scottish Parliament

M1.07 Your ref

Edinburgh

EH991SP Our ref MM/RW

Dear Kezia

Thank you for your letter of 24 October regarding Portobello High School.

The delay in the plans for the school is due to a group who are against the proposal to

build on Portobello Park, taking court action to attempt to halt the development. This

has been reported widely in the press and media with several stories in the Evening

News. A court date has been set for early December. This action means that the

School is still due to open in January 2014 which is as stated in the Report which cameto Council several months ago. Through a quicker than expected procurement process

we had hoped to be able to open in August 2013 but this will not now be possible.

~arents at the school and feeder primaries are kept up to date regularly through projectnewsletters. Previous editions were circulated to the high school community only, but

as we move towards construction we have also posted the most recent issue and will

send future editions out to residents living next to the site to ensure that they are kept

aware of developments.

Additional copies have been sent to Portobello Library for wider public reference.

I attach a copy of the latest newsletter for your information.

Yours sincerely

lJ ~ '(G C"

o .,• . . • .

Councillor Marilyne Maclaren

Convener - Education, Children & Families

City Chambers High Street Edinburgh EH11YJ Tel 0131 529 7494 Fax 0131 529 7494

 E-mai/:marilyne.maclaren@edinburgh.gov.uk 

'-)t__ ~INVESTOR L~ PEOPLE

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Portobello High SchoolNevvsletter

16 September 2011: Issue 7

Welcome to the latest issue of the new

Portobello High School project newsletter.

Earlier issues of this newsletter were

distributed to the school community but, as

work is expected to start on site soon ,

copies will now also be sent to those living

around Portobello Park so that they are kept

up to date with what is happening.

In this issue you can find out about our

progress in appointing contractors, read a

bit more about the early site works and get

details of how to have your say on how you

think the open space compensation money

identified as part of the project to provide

further benefit for the local community could

be best used.

You may also be aware that a local

action group have lodged a petition in

the court to stop the school going ahead

on Portobello Park so we have also

provided an update on our plans to

defend this action.

Contractors to be appointed

We are pleased to report that a report

will go to the Council meeting on 22

September recommending that Balfour

Beatty, one of the country's leading

construction companies, should be

appointed as Principal Construction

Contractor for the new school building.

We are delighted to welcome them on

board. Not only did they provide the

most competitive price for the project

but they also came top in terms of the

quality assessment that was carried out

as part of the tender assessment

process.

Balfour Beatty's extensive experience

includes prestigious projects such as the

National Museum of Scotland and

Napier University. They are currently

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working on the refurbishment of the

Assembly Rooms on George Street.

Due to the forthcoming court action, the

report to Council is recommending that

Balfour Beatty are appointed as contractors

but we delay the contract signing until the

legal challenge is resolved. Balfour Beatty

has supported us in this action by agreeing

to extend the date by which a contract has

to be concluded; we are very grateful to

them for this flexibility.

View of new school from Hope Lane

Enabling and preparatory works

Over the summer, Scottish Power

successfully removed a disused power

cable that runs under the park. An

archaeological survey was also carried out

as one of the conditions attached to the

planning consent.

This survey did not find anything of

significant archaeological interest.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing legal

issues that we mentioned earlier, the

signing of the main contract will be

delayed. But this need not stop initial

preparatory works starting on site.

We are asking Council to agree that

some preparatory works can take place

before the main construction

programme starts to ensure that any

delay resulting from the legal challenge

is kept to a minimum.

Further information will be provided for

local residents once these works are

confirmed.

Legal Action

We are extremely disappointed that

Portobello Park Action Group has

lodged a petition to review the Council's

decision to build the school in Porto bello

Park; particularly being so late in the

process. This could potentially delay

the construction of the new school and

incur additional costs.

.€DINBVR.GH.T HE C IT Y O F E D IN BU RG H C OU NC IL

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However, our position has not changed. If

this action proceeds it is our intention to

vigorously defend our plans in court with the

court date having been set for 9 December

2011. We have taken legal advice from

Senior Counsel that says that it is possible

to build this much needed replacement

school on Portobello Park.

The outcome of the procurement process

would have allowed us to have commenced

the construction works in November 2011

and achieve what we had been working so

hard to deliver for the community, an earlier

opening date for the school of August 2013.

Unfortunately due to the court action this

opportunity of an earlier opening date of

August 2013 is now gone. However, once

the legal challenge is addressed, we may

still be able to achieve our original opening

date of January 2014 and an earlier date if

at all possible.

The tender for the new Porto bello High

School came in at a very competitive cost

and the considerable savings achieved will

be invested in the much needed

replacement of other city schools. This

means that any additional costs incurred by

having to defend this action will not just

have an impact for Porto bello but also

for other schools.

Our aim is to keep both costs and

delays to a minimum. We will ensure

you are kept up to date with progress on

this issue.

View of new school from Park Avenue

Open Space

You may remember that, in addition to

the improvements around Portobello

Park and golf course, agreed as part of

our plans for the school, £150,000 was

earmarked for recreational

improvements in the local area.

The Portobello and Craigmillar

Neighbourhood Partnership is seeking

feedback from the local community on

how this money could be b!3st used.

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They particularly want to hear from those

local residents living near the park and local

school children. Three drop in sessions

have been organised to obtain feedback:

• 22 Sept, Portobello Library, 6pm to 8pm

• 29 Sep~, Magdalene Community Centre,

10am to 12 noon and 6pm to 8pm

• 4 October, Bingham Community Centre,

2pm to 4pm.

They will also hold focus groups in the high

school and local primary schools.

A survey form is also available on the

Neighbourhood Partnership website. If you

would like to comment please go to;

www.edinburghnp.org,uklneighbourhood-

partnerships/portobello-and-craig millar

Edinburgh Leisure is also consulting with

their members on plans to improve the

second hole on the golf course. Work will

be phased over the next two years and at

the times that would best suit the golfers

and growing season.

Further information

The council report referred to in this

newsletter can be found at

www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Please go to 'committee minutes' and

search for The City of Edinburgh

Council meeting on 22 September 2011.

View of school entrance

.EDINBVRGH.T HE C IT Y O f E DI NB UR GH C OU NC IL