Aberdeen heritage group call for school to be saved from demolition over 'historic significance'

An Aberdeen heritage group is calling for the original St Peter’s School building to be saved from demolition to preserve its “historic significance”.

Councillors rubber-stamped plans to upgrade teaching facilities at St Peter’s back in November 2023.

While the school was originally set to move to the now vacant Riverbank School in Tillydrone, councillors agreed to keep St Peter’s in Old Aberdeen.

They also approved plans to refurbish Old Aberdeen House and add a new extension in order to “deliver a 21st Century learning environment” for pupils.

However, Old Aberdeen Heritage Society is urging the council to keep the historic single-storey original school building that will be demolished as part of the works.

Education bosses argued something needed to be done at St Peter’s as the school was struggling to deal with an overcapacity of children.

For example, its library was used as classrooms while temporary cabins were installed to further expand teaching space.

As a result, the school was split over four buildings on the confined space.

But taking over Old Aberdeen House on Dunbar Street became a viable option for the school after the Aberdeen Scientific Services Laboratory vacated the site in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives moved from the Old Aberdeen building to the Town House on Broad Street.

Old Aberdeen House is currently being renovated and will contain 14 classrooms, a GP room and a nurture room, while the new extension will have staff rooms, an indoor sports hall and dining hall.

Once complete, the school will have enough room to hold 434 pupils.

While Old Aberdeen Heritage Society commended the upgrade to St Peter’s, they have asked that the plans be reassessed.

In a letter submitted to the local authority, chairman Ronald Leith believes that the first public school in Old Aberdeen has “historical significance”.

He explained: “This smaller building dates from 1875 when it opened as Old Aberdeen Public School.

“The core of the building is no less than 150-years-old and has functioned continuously as a school.”

Mr Leith suggested the building could be used as a staff room, library, offices or store space instead, which are all proposed to be located in the new extension.

He added: “We understand, and fully agree, that the overriding priority is for facilities at St Peter’s School to be upgraded.

“But we would ask that some consideration be given to finding a way to preserve and include this, the original school on the site, if at all possible.”