Hopes that new Brae school could be a ‘jewel in crown’ as plans progress
The latest round of community engagement is underway ahead of a full business case going to councillors in January
THE LATEST design work for a possible new Brae High School went on show yesterday (Wednesday) as the process edges towards a final decision from councillors early next year.
No revised cost estimates were given, but these will ultimately be fed into a full business case which is expected to be presented to elected members in January.
Also included in the full business case will be costed designs for potential refurbishment of the existing school.
“We’ve got to ensure for members that we’ve addressed everything and they have all the options that allow them to take a decision on how to go forward,” Shetland Islands Council’s (SIC) project manager Andrew Lyall said.
It was back in 2024 that Shetland’s councillors agreed to press ahead with developing a full business case for the project at an estimated cost of £4.5 million amid the message that the school was no longer fit for purpose.
Building a new two-storey school on the existing grass pitch and demolishing the old one – as well as constructing a new synthetic football pitch in its place – was previously given an estimated price tag of £42.5 million.
It was previously stated that Scottish Government was ready to provide half of the funding, but over a 25-year period in revenue, with the SIC stumping up the capital cost of construction.
A decision will be made by councillors next week on whether to stick with the idea of creating a new synthetic pitch on the site, or to resurface the nearby hockey pitch for football and then construct a replacement one in Lerwick.
Regardless of this decision, Chris Malcolm from architects Ryder said either option would have benefits in terms of outdoor spaces compared to the current school.
“Whatever option they go with, it’s a significant betterment in terms of external landscape,” he said at Wednesday’s event in the school.
“It’s a decent sized site, but there’s not as much good quality useable space as you’d expect, and both would significantly improve that.
“Regardless of what option for the pitch is chosen, the series of external spaces around the building remains consistent, so what we want to make sure is that there is an extension of the learning environment from inside to outside.”
The latest engagement materials say feedback from the community highlighted the value of outdoor spaces for student wellbeing as well as the village’s identity.
It also said the potential for allowing community access and use of certain school areas, such as sports facilities and the library, is a “key outcome” of engagement sessions.
Malcolm said the proposed dining area, the “heart of the building”, is now more central to the plan.
“We’ve got a range of different settings within that – there are spaces that cater for secondary school pupils that can double up for double up for study or social space outside the dining times,” he said.
“There are areas within that dining space that could be used for informal assembly and performance. There’re areas that are smaller scale of space that cater for primary pupils, and there’s also smaller scale booths for smaller groups for learners that prefer that type of setting.”
The architect is keen to stress the need to make the most out of space, which could include multi-uses, especially in a challenging financial climate.
“If you think about when the Brae school was built and some of the ones on the mainland, you’ve got single use spaces – some of them might have had an assembly hall or a dining space, spaces that were getting used an hour, two hours a day,” he added.
“That’s not sustainable for everybody. What you’ve got to look at what else the spaces can be used for that enhances the learning experience. that idea that learning only happens in the classroom, we have moved on from that. A whole range of spaces can become learning opportunities.”
Among the questions raised at the event included the lack of classroom dimensions being provided.
But Lyall did say rooms in the current primary school are around 46 or 47 square metres, with the ones in the new build designed at 50 square metres.
The red exterior colour remains, which has divided opinion among some. Malcolm, however, said it is about giving the building a “sense of identity in the landscape”.
Ryder previously worked on the new Anderson High School in Lerwick and by contrast the aim there was to have the colour scheme make the building a backdrop, rather than the focus, given the surroundings – the Clickimin Broch and Staney Hill.
For the council, by the time a full business case reaches the chamber it will have been three years since elected members agreed to push the project to the next stage.
A planning application is expected to be submitted in September, and if the full business case is approved at the turn of the year, construction could begin just a few months later. Robertson Construction Group is already lined up for the work.
The latest timeline says the school building could then be completed in late 2028.
The project is part of the North Schools Programme, a partnership between five local authorities – Shetland, Orkney, Argyll and Bute, Moray and Aberdeen City – to work together to deliver new learning estate.
The primary school building at Brae was built in the 70s and the secondary building followed in the early 1980s, but the new design brings everything under one roof.
As Shetland News stands looking at the display boards, Lyall said the building is a school for Brae, but also a school for Shetland.
“It’s not just about the kids or the teachers within Brae, there’s a bigger network of communities that feed into the school,” he said.
“In the same way, I think there’s an opportunity that we can offer a facility that can help the growing demands on specialist teaching as well.
“It’s something that’ll hopefully be a jewel in the crown when it comes to the wider estate.”
People are able to leave feedback on the design proposals online.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:
- Removal of third-party ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
