RESIDENTS have been notified that 12 months of remediation work is about to start at Lochgelly South Primary School.

The works were agreed last year and the plans explained at a number of drop-in sessions where locals had the chance to ask questions.

The work should take a year to complete, with the school's pupils and teachers moving in to St Kenneth’s RC Primary School in Ballingry for the duration.

Central Fife Times: Pupils from Lochgelly South Primary School will be taught at St Kenneth's RC Primary School in Ballingry for a year.Pupils from Lochgelly South Primary School will be taught at St Kenneth's RC Primary School in Ballingry for a year. (Image: Newsquest)

Nursery pupils will be hosted at Sunflower Nursery in Lochgelly.

Due to an increasing school roll, a new modular unit is to be installed in the Lochgelly South grounds, which will house the nursery and provide more classroom spaces within the main school building.

Before the unit can be installed, extensive ground remediation works will be required, during which time the building can't be occupied.

This work will be undertaken in two phases: August to December 2023 will involve grouting treatment and stabilisation of the ground; January to Aug 2024 will involve the refurbishment of the building and installation of the new nursery accommodation.


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Shelagh McLean, head of education and children's services, said: "As standard, particularly in former mining areas like Lochgelly, we carried out investigations to see if the site was suitable for a modular unit and to check for historic mine workings.

"These investigations confirmed that there are historic, shallow mine workings beneath the school building and grounds.

"These types of mine workings are likely to result in subsidence damage to the building in the future, unless these works are carried out."

The work will also include some upgrades to the current school building as well as the erection of the new modular unit.

More details and a list of frequently asked questions can be found at www.fife.gov.uk/LochgellySouthPS