Shetland Islands Council (SIC) confirmed this week that its flagship project for a new Anderson High School and halls of residence at Lerwick’s lower Staney Hill would not meet the previous completion date of summer 2016.

The local authority said the delay is largely due to the complexity of the design discussions held with hub North Scotland which is leading the project on behalf of the SIC and Scottish Futures Trust. Planning permission has recently been granted, but there are 26 conditions which must be met before construction can start, it added.

In recent months the original contractor Miller Construction have been taken over by Galliford Try, though it is thought that this will not have any significant impact on the project.

Cllr. Vaila Wishart chairs the SIC’s Education and Families Committee: “This is an enormously complex project, and we were always aware that delays were possible, especially given that the process involves a number of partner organisations.

“Having said that, we’re on course to deliver a high quality, modern new school - something which Shetland has badly needed for a number of years. Our project team are working very closely with hub North Scotland to make sure the new school is the very best it can be to support future generations of young Shetlanders.”

Plans for the internal layout of the school are nearing completion, and include:

The accommodation provided within the school comprises:

The halls of residence include:

SIC staff are now looking at issues such as what furniture can be transferred from the existing AHS, internal detailing, and the ICT requirements for the building.