Passivhaus-designed Perth High School given go-ahead

Councillors have unanimously granted planning permission for the £68.7 million building project to replace Perth High School.Council officers had recommended councillors approve the project, which has increased in costs by a further £10m in less than a year due to inflation increases and a rise in construction costs.The triangular-shaped building will be built over three levels to Passivhaus standards.The project is being funded by a partnership between Perth & Kinross Council, which is funding to build the school, and the Scottish Government which is providing revenue funding of £40.6m to help pay for running costs over the next 25 years.The new school will be built within the grounds of the existing Perth High School on Perth’s Oakbank Road. The current school is in the southern part of the site. The new school will be built on the western part with pupils continuing to be taught in the current school building during construction.Once the new building is complete the old school will be demolished. The final phase will be landscaping and forming the remaining pitches.There will be a large open double-height theatre, breakout and dining spaces as well an outdoors dining space. New sports pitches will be laid out on the north-east of the site.Two new accesses will be formed on Viewlands Road West. The existing accesses on Oakbank Road will be retained. One will continue to serve the current car park which will be retained.The other entrance will have bollards installed to restrict access to bikes and pedestrians.Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee unanimously approved the plans on Wednesday, March 16.Originally due to open in August 2023, the facility is now expected to open in the summer of 2024.