Progress continues to be made on the St Machar Academy Grounds Improvements project, that will provide new outdoor facilities for pupils and staff alike.
Members of the Finance and Resources Committee yesterday discussed the report detailing the full business case for the improvements project.
The business case was submitted within the 12 months requested by the committee at its meeting on 8 May 2024, and set out the improvements which are being made to the outdoor space at St Machar Academy.
Councillor Alex McLellan, convener, of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “Investing in the education estate across Aberdeen is a priority for us, so I am pleased that the works at St Machar Academy are now underway as these improvements will have a positive impact on both staff and the young people attending the school.”
Councillor Martin Greig, convener of the Education and Children's Services Committee, said: “The school community has been patiently waiting for this important work to be actioned. It's good to be able to get the work done for the benefit of all pupils at St Machar Academy.”
Work is currently under way on site at St Machar Academy to deliver the improvements. These include:
- Removal of disused temporary classroom units and resurfacing the areas of the playground affected;
- Installation of a new food pod and a covered dining area;
- Creation of a new access from the playground to the playing field, incorporating new spectator seating for the all weather pitch;
- Replacement of fencing around the site and new gates to create a secure site
- Installation of a new multi-use games area (MUGA);
- Improvements to drainage around the all weather pitch;
- Installation of an outdoor classroom, paths and growing area.
Work on site will continue over the summer, and is expected to be completed by August 2025.
The full business case confirms that the overall costs are within the budget for the project which was approved by Council on 6 March 2024.
To keep to project timescales and to help minimise disruption to the school whilst works take place, the full business case was approved by the Chief Officer, Capital in January 2025, in accordance with the Council’s procurement regulations. This allowed a contract to be awarded timeously and for work to commence on site, ahead of the next available committee cycle for reporting the business case to the Finance & Resources committee.
The improvement works have been costed at £1.997million including fees.
A capital budget of £1.8m for this project has been identified and approved within the Council’s Capital Programme. An additional £75,000 is being provided through the Community Inclusion team, along with a further £195,000 from funding generated by the school, taking the available budget to £2.07m.