NOW that St Columba's and Woodmill have closed, plans are moving forward to demolish the empty high schools.

Pupils will attend the new £220 million Dunfermline Learning Campus on Halbeath when it officially opens next month and Fife Council said the old buildings will start to come down this autumn.

That work is set to carry on until the Spring of 2025 but there's still no word on what the cleared sites on either side of Woodmill Road will be used for.

A council spokesperson said no decisions have been made and a report will be brought to the cabinet committee - the next meeting is on August 15.

An aerial view of St Columba's High School in Dunfermline. An aerial view of the old St Columba's High School in Dunfermline. (Image: Fife Council)

Dunfermline councillor Gavin Ellis wants the sites to be turned into a sports and leisure centre with a new swimming pool, but previously told the Press he fears they will be used for housing.

READ MORE: 'The people of Dunfermline want a swimming pool at high school sites'

Cllr James Calder, convener of the City of Dunfermline area committee, had called for "creative thinking" and added: "I think it is really important that Fife Council considers the wishes of the community when it comes to the future of the sites."

The end of the school term on June 28 signalled the end of an era for St Columba's and Woodmill, with the schools now moving out of the Abbeyview area.

BAM Construction, who built the new high schools at the Dunfermline Learning Campus, will also knock down the old ones.

The red tape is out of the way, with planning officers determining that prior approval for the demolition of St Columba's was not required.

An aerial view of Woodmill High School in Dunfermline. An aerial view of the old Woodmill High School in Dunfermline. (Image: Fife Council)

The decision on Woodmill was delayed with the council stating it was necessary to extend the determination period "due to further neighbour notifications".

Portacabins in place since the blaze at the school in 2019 will be removed before the demolition of the remaining buildings.

The council previously explained that they wanted to move quickly towards demolition to prevent the buildings becoming a "magnet" for anti-social behaviour and fire-raising.

Ahead of the bulldozers moving in, BAM will submit a demolition method statement to set out the mitigation measures to be taken to control aspects such as dust and noise.

Although the schools have closed, some of the sports facilities such as the astroturf hockey pitch at Woodmill, are still in use.