PLANS to close two primaries, a secondary and merge all together in a new school in Jedburgh have been given the green light.

Council officials at SBC have agreed to proposals to close the schools and build an intergenerational learning campus in Jedburgh.

It follows a consultation on the plans, carried out in May and June, with feedback added into a report that was approved by the Council’s Executive in November.

The proposal will result in the closure of Jedburgh Grammar, plus the nursery and primary provisions at Howdenburn and Parkside schools.

Howdenburn Schoolhouse will also be closed and the educational support for secondary aged pupils with additional support needs transferred to the new campus.

The school catchment zones for Howdenburn Primary, Parkside Primary and Jedburgh Grammar will be re-zoned to the new campus. This will also be the case for the Ancrum Primary P6 and P7 pupils who currently transition to Parkside.

Councillor Carol Hamilton, SBC’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “I am delighted that we now have full agreement to these proposals and can progress with our plans to create this unique and much anticipated replacement school provision for Jedburgh with the educational opportunities that it has potential to provide for people of all ages.

“There has been extensive consultation and public engagement throughout the process as it was important to make sure that pupils, family members, staff and the wider Jedburgh community were fully engaged with the proposals.

“We would like thank everyone who took part for their responses and the support we have received. We now look forward to working together and making this vision a reality.”

Planning permission for the campus, which is to be located on land at Hartrigge Park, is currently being sought. If this is received, work is due to start in Spring 2018 and should last 24 months.

The Scottish Government has been informed of the Council’s decision and now has an eight week period of further consideration.

Members of the public are entitled to submit any further representations directly to the Scottish Government during the three-week period, ending on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.

As this period covers four public holidays, they will also consider representations received up until midnight on Sunday, January 14.

Email responses to: schoolclosure@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or by post to: The Scottish Government, School Infrastructure Unit, 2A (South), Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.