CPO approved for new school

0 - 0 • Published 8 May 2009 12:45 0 Comments

THE use of a compulsory purchase order to secure land for a new school in West Linton has been agreed.

Scottish Borders Council is currently negotiating with landowners over land for West Linton Primary - but the process has taken more time than originally hoped.

The council is anxious to stick to its schedule within which it has been agreed that land for the school should be acquired by June 2009.

Construction is then set to begin in May 2011 which would see the school opened in autumn 2012.

However, councillors have stressed that there are no immediate plans to force landowners to sell.

SBC spokeswoman on education Catriona Bhatia said: 'We are currently in negotiations with the landowner and talks are progressing.

'The compulsory purchase order is only an option at present because we are optimistic that we will acquire the site through these talks.'

The negotiated site concerns a 1 hectare plot adjacent to the village"s current and only playing field which will also be used.

At present plans are also afoot in the village to reform Linton Hotspur Football Club, who disbanded several years ago, and enter into the Borders Embroideries League for next season.

The reformed club will use the current playing as their home ground up until construcution for the school begins in 2011.

However after this there are no other facilities in the village for the club to avail of.

This lack of facilities was recently raised at West Linton Community Council and an open meeting has been organised in an effort to solve this.

Community council member Tommy Davidson said: 'Several people have raised the need for additional outdoor recreational space in West Linton. We are holding this meeting in an effort to try and gauge the opinion of the wider community.

'Onviously Linton Hotspur will have to have somewhere to go when construction of the school begins but people also have asked for facilities for rugby, cricket and hockey.

'Back in the 50"s there were three football pitches and one hockey pitch in West Linton and the village is a lot bigger now than it was then.'

This meeting shall be held on Wednesday May 20 at 7:30pm in the Graham Institute.

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 08 May 09

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