Published: Thursday, 17th December, 2009 3:34pm

Blundering builders delay school gym project

St Patrick's pupils will wait a further four months for a new £850,000 gym hall to open because blundering contractors have built it in the wrong place, Fife Council admitted this week.

The building was redesigned following a site investigation which revealed that it was too close to neighbouring houses.

Council papers seen by the Times state that the structure "was not being built in accordance with the approved site plan".

Service manager, Louise Playford, said, "An error was made during the construction of the gym hall. As soon as this was brought to our attention amendments were made...work should be completed by the end of April."

Pupils at the Lochgelly school will now be transported to St Kenneth's Primary in Ballingry for PE.

Classes were being held in The Lochgelly Centre but the building closed for refurbishment on 12th December.

The town's Labour councillor Mark Hood said the project has descended into farce.

"Local children have been impacted by a series of the mistakes," he added, "I have offered my support to resolving the situation as quickly as possible."

A revised planning application went before members of Cowdenbeath Area Committee on 15th December but councillors refused to green light it until they see the site for themselves.

If the new design does get the go ahead a rear extension will have to be built to house gym equipment.

Fife Council was tight-lipped about the escalating costs this week.

Service manager Louise Playford would only say, "We are hoping to keep any extra costs to an absolute minimum."

Meanwhile, Lochgelly's SNP councillor Ian Chisholm sought to play down the impact of the error,

"I'm sure there will be a full inquiry into the reasons for the build problems but in the meantime our energies should be directed towards getting the main gym hall completed so the children can get the use of this super new facility."

He added, "In all of this it should be remembered that Lochgelly will be the richer for having a fine new public building."

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Concerned parent
Unregistered User
Feb 9, 11:33
Comment: 8552

This story needs an update, the contractors have built the structure in the correct place according to the plans issued by the 'blundering council'. Not only did the plans show the structure 4 meters out of position, but also 1.5 meters too high. The steel and wooden structure will now have to be reworked. I believe that June is the latest forecasted date that won't be met. In the meantime the pupils have a severely restricted playground to use which is surrounded by potentially dangerous site fencing and building equipment. There has been no action on site for some time, despite the recent council assurances !. The very least that could be done in the interim period is to rearrange the contractors portacabins and equipment so that the pupils have more useable playground area !
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