The project will include Peterhead Academy, Anna Ritchie School and a new primary with Dales Park and Meethill.

Scottish ministers are required to review the decision-making process in all cases where schools are to be closed and/or merged.

Consultation and engagement with staff, children and young people, parents and the wider community will continue as Aberdeenshire Council prepares for the planning and design stages. Members of the community can expect to have opportunities to contribute ideas and feedback during 2022 and before planning permission is sought. 

The aim is for the new campus to be ready in 2025. In time, Dales Park and Meethill staff, children and parents will also have a leading role in coming up with a new name, logo and colours for their new school.

Cllr Gillian Owen, chair of the council’s education and children’s services committee, said: “Every small step in the delivery of these vast projects is important as it takes us one step closer to the day these fantastic new facilities will open. The new campus will be of huge benefit to the children and young people of Peterhead and I look forward to seeing the design phase progress.”

Cllr Norman Smith, chair of Buchan area committee, added: “It really is good news we can now get going with the design of our new Peterhead Community Campus. This much-anticipated project will make a big difference to many children and young people and it will be great to see them having opportunities to share their ideas and learn from the design and construction processes as it all comes to life.”

Members of both committees were given a tour of the Inverurie Community Campus last week to better understand the link between onsite services because the arrangements for special school provision is similar to the proposed Peterhead Community Campus.

Councillors visited St Andrews School to see for themselves the multiple sensory rooms, the sensory garden, a warm water pool, a therapy pool and even a dedicated rebound therapy space. They got a sense of how similar facilities might be incorporated into Anna Ritchie School.

They also saw the sport and leisure facilities which benefit not only pupils at Inverurie Academy and St Andrews School but the wider community too.

The visit was arranged following the outcome of a discussion about Anna Ritchie School during the August meeting of the education and children’s services committee.

Cllr Gillian Owen said: “It was inspirational to see how St Andrews School fitted into the Inverurie Community Campus setting. There is a real community spirit with pupils at both schools working well together in using the collective space in this fantastic modern community campus.

“As a council we are looking to deliver the best possible learning experience. We are particularly keen to develop state-of-the-art schools for children attending our special schools. I am in no doubt that parents and carers in Peterhead should look forward with excitement as plans for the new community campus continue to progress.”