Published: Thursday, 24th December, 2009 4:45pm

School extension faces delay

by Peter Swindon

St Patrick's Primary School pupils will wait a further four months for a new £850,000 gym hall to open because 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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