Moray Council approves next stage for future Forres Academy project
Moray Council is moving forward with the new Forres Academy, delivering a modern, sustainable learning environment for local pupils, with the detailed design phase of the project now commencing.
The council aims to open the new school by Autumn 2028. Once complete, the new Forres Academy will offer a high-quality learning environment that will help improve educational outcomes for young people in the town for generations to come.
To progress the project, the planning process is now underway, with the first public stages being consultations on the Pre-Planning Application Notice, set to take place towards the end of June. This will focus on the preferred site at Applegrove/Roysvale Park, ensuring the project stays on track to secure essential Scottish Government funding and avoid delays or increased costs due to inflation.
Alongside this, following a thorough review, the council has decided not to pursue further investigations into the alternative Lochyhill site at this time. Several significant challenges were identified, including complex land ownership, lack of access for site investigations, and higher overall costs. These issues make the Lochyhill option impractical at this stage and risk delaying the delivery of the much-needed new school.
Chair of the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “It’s good to see the new Forres Academy project coming to life as the design stage kicks off, with the decision to focus on Applegrove/Roysvale Park keeping things on track. While there are differing views in the community, it’s vital that we continue to make progress for the benefit of our young people and the wider area. Progressing into the design phase is a really exciting step in this major development for Forres, and I look forward to seeing the project continue to move forward over the coming months.”
Full details on the future Forres Academy site options can be found on Moray Council’s website.