THERE are proposals to build one large primary school in Wellwood to accommodate kids moving into new housing estates in the north of Dunfermline.

It's a change of plans from Fife Council – initially, there was to be a smaller one in the village and another smaller school to the west at Swallowdrum, north of Milesmark – but questions remain about how it will be funded.

And it doesn't resolve the impasse at the main development in Wellwood where no more homes can be built until the housebuilders stump up money to pay their share of the primary school (see story on page 8).

Earlier this month, the council's Kevin Treadwell confirmed: "The education authority have advised that they are pursuing the construction of a single, larger primary school within the Wellwood Strategic Development Area (SDA) development as opposed to the two smaller primary schools identified at Swallowdrum and Wellwood in the local development plan.

"It is the council’s intention to construct the new, larger primary school.

"The new, larger primary school will accommodate pupils from the Swallowdrum allocation, as well as Wellwood, Colton and the (Omnivale) site (north of Wellwood)."

I&H Brown have planning permission to build 1,100 houses and a primary school on a huge site between Wellwood and Parkneuk and they have also applied to build 450 homes at Colton, north of Townhill Country Park.

Omnivale are awaiting the outcome of an appeal to the Scottish Government; the council refused their application to build 140 homes north of Leadside Crescent in Wellwood, but no plans have been tabled for Swallowdrum, where the council envisage up to 900 homes can be built.

The council confirmed to the Press: "We are working with the developers to explore the possibility of developing one larger primary school (at the site already identified in the Wellwood development) instead of two smaller schools to serve the north Dunfermline developments.

"No final decisions have been taken yet and therefore we do not have fixed timescales or costs.

"As this approach is different to the approach set out in the local development plan, a committee decision will be required before we can finalise any decision to deliver one larger primary school."

Around 8,000 new homes are being built in and around Dunfermline over the next 20-30 years and the council had said five new primary schools – at Swallowdrum, Wellwood, Halbeath and two within the Broomhall area – would be needed "to accommodate the planned growth".

That's now four, all to be paid for by developers, and it means children in the Swallowdrum area will have to travel further to get to school.

It was estimated earlier this year that the primary school in Wellwood would cost £16 million but, with plans for a bigger facility and rising costs, that will be revised.

Allan Miller, development director at I&H Brown, said: "Fife Council would like to see all of the housebuilding coming forward in Wellwood, the Omnivale site, Colton and Swallowdrum and all those houses would be served by one single, larger primary school.

"That's what the council are looking to take the lead on and actually deliver the new school, which is great and a step forward.

"However, we still haven't agreed the funding of it. It's all about timing, there's a significant upfront cost and it needs to be completely worked through.

"Part of the problem is the school, like all public-sector and construction projects at the moment, is subject to very significant cost increases.

"So we've got a bit of progress in terms of what the council want to do but in terms of the cost and how it's funded, that's still up in the air."