Friday July 17th 2026
Chimney on eastern wing of Category B listed Penicuik High School building (image from Midlothian planning portal)
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A chimney attached to a 90-year-old Midlothian secondary school at the centre of a £55.3million refurbishment is set to be removed after it was described as a risk to construction workers.
The east wing chimney on the Category B listed Penicuik High School, has sparked concerns its current state has left it unable to survive strong winds and could pose a danger to people working on the site or members of the public.
The historic 1930s school is undergoing a major restoration project, which will see the original building refurbished and a new modern extension built to replace its existing 1960s block.
Pupils from the school were decanted to other facilities last year in preparation for the work to begin this summer with plans to welcome them back in the spring of 2028.
When complete, the modernised, energy-efficient school will have space for up to 945 pupils, including dedicated provision for 24 young people with Additional Support Needs.
Main contractor Morrison Construction brought in consulting engineers Etive to undertake design of the new school and they have been monitoring the condition of the chimney as part of fortnightly site inspections since work began.
A report from Etive said: “During the course of these inspections the chimney breast on the eastern wing was exposed to enable asbestos removal works to complete.”
It added: “Based on the current condition of the chimney breast and the timber roof trusses in this area Etive are concerned about the stability of the chimney breast.
“The timber construction forming the roof is not adequate to provide
proper restraint to the chimney in the event of a high wind event. There is also no clear load path through the timber roof construction back to suitable stabilising walls.
“As such the current construction on site poses a significant health and safety concern for the operatives on site and any members of the public in the vicinity.”
An application lodged with planners on behalf of Midlothian Council seeks Listed Building Consent to remove the chimney and replace it with slates.
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