Plans to upgrade Dumfries Academy are facing an uncertain future. The bid for funding under the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) was unsuccessful, leading to disappointment from Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC), which is overseeing the project.
The council expressed its disappointment at the outcome and stated that it would need to consider alternative options in light of this setback. The Scottish government clarified that the latest round of funding was intended to benefit areas that had previously missed out on such investments.
DGC is currently in the process of a substantial upgrade of schools in Dumfries, which is a part of its broader Learning Town project.
As part of this initiative, two of the town’s four secondary schools have already been replaced or renovated, with a third currently in the planning stages. The hope was that LEIP support could be secured to finalize this picture by facilitating the redevelopment of Dumfries Academy and the relocation of Loreburn Primary.
This plan did not secure the necessary backing in the latest round of funding, which ultimately benefited ten schools across the country. Gail MacGregor, the leader of DGC, acknowledged that this outcome was indeed a setback for their ongoing educational improvement plans.
The future of Dumfries Academy’s upgrade remains uncertain at this point, pending further considerations by the council and possible alternative sources of funding.
