A new £48.4m Hawick High School will be completed by 2027

When members of Scottish Borders Council meet on Thursday, September 23, they will be asked to back a recommendation that the new facility is constructed largely on the footprint of the current school.

Such a move would ensure that the new four storey school remained at the “heart of the community”, a report to members says.

The fire at Peebles High school in November 2019 forced a revision to the investment strategy with an acceleration of that school replacement.

Both Galashiels and Peebles High Schools have continued to make progress and development work for Hawick High School has also gone ahead with the

project delivery team now able to report on a preferred location for its replacement.

In 2018 the council had identified seven possible sites within the town, but no preferred option was recommended at that time, pending further review work.

The report adds: “Locating the new building on the existing site would ensure that the school remains at the heart of the community, continuing well over 100 years of education provision at this important town centre location. It would ensure continued access to the adjacent synthetic 3G and 2G sports pitches at the Volunteer Park and the wider Wilton Lodge Park. It would also continue to benefit from the established access arrangements at the Common Haugh for bus travel to and from the school.

“Having established that the existing site appears to be feasible, a concept design for the new building has been identified. With some adjustments to the existing operational school, it is possible to construct a four storey new build in the area of ground between the adjacent cricket club and the older school buildings. Displacement of the existing social area and music buildings would be required.

“This arrangement ensures that the school can remain operational during the

entire construction stage. Subject to the displacement to social area and music subjects, the construction would take place in a single phase. This will be of benefit to young learners in terms of minimised disruption during construction and provide for finished building at the earliest point within the overall development.”

Completion of the new school, which would retain an element of the historic main front building, is earmarked for 2027.