Vale of Leven Academy will open on time despite gas hitch

May 29 2009 by Tina Kemp, Lennox Herald (main ed)

VALE of Leven’s new showpiece school will open on time – despite a hitch over the gas supply.

A drop in pressure supplying the academy, due to be commissioned on June 29, is currently being investigated.

Education bosses this week rejected claims the problem was caused by the installation of the wrong size of pipe.

And they insisted the multi-million pound school is on schedule to open when pupils return from their summer break in August.

The gas supply is currently not strong enough to service the school’s five 300kw boilers, as well as ovens in the home economics department and chemistry lab equipment.

A Lennox Herald source claims this is because the mains pipe laid by Dutch contractor BAM PPP was only half the required size.

He says this would mean having to dig up the roadway to lay 500m of new pipe, putting planned dates for the school’s commissioning – and opening – in doubt. He added the “mistake” could cost the contractor up to £200,000.

But a West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman denied this, saying: “There is no truth to this claim. BAM have confirmed that they are currently experiencing a drop in pressure in the gas supply to the new Vale of Leven Academy and are in conversation with the local utility company to identify what has caused this.

“The pressure drop is not as a result of the gas pipe installation.”

Construction firm BAM PPP won the contract to build the new academy, along with St Peter the Apostle and Clydebank High in Clydebank.

The school is due to be officially handed over almost seven years to the day the old building was wrecked by fire.

Building work commenced just over a year ago and the completed school will incorporate a large open plan foyer with dining area and assembly hall, two gyms and a games hall, an all-weather sports pitch and three football parks. There is also a terrace for art students, open plan toilets and two large courtyard areas, with sculptures, a nature garden and a pond.

The spokeswoman added: “The building of the new school is on schedule and is expected to open at the start of the new term in August, as originally programmed.”