Wednesday February 4th 2026
An image for the new Craigshill Primary in Livingston, set to open in August 2027 (photo by the West Lothian Council).
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Work is set to start on a new West Lothian primary school this Spring. The new Craigshill Primary will replace two of Livingston first schools dating back to the late 1960s.
But RAAC and asbestos removal has added almost £2m to the bill for the council to deliver the brand new primary in one of Livingston’s poorest areas.
The new £25m school is partly funded by the council and the Scottish Government based on the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) outcomes based funding model. The capital funding is £10.996 million being provided from the Scottish Government. That equates to 43% of the total revised cost of £25.8 million.
David Baird, Property Services Manager, told a meeting of West Lothian Council’s Executive that costs had risen by £1.8m following initial estimates because of the costs of asbestos and RAAC panel removal in the demolition of the Riverside Primary building and ground conditions on the site where the new school will be built.
Mr Baird stressed the new price tag of £25.8m was fixed, and would remain so unless the council itself decided to change the specification of the building.
Building work will start in April and is expected to take around 15 months, with the new school open for the start of the August 2027 term.
The new three-storey primary school with a sloped roof will bring both the current Letham and Riverside schools together, and will have capacity for 462 primary pupils, integrated early years facility, external play spaces, landscaping, and car park.
Answering questions from SNP councillors on the rise is costs Mr Baird said initial estimates were based on assumptions before demolition of the Riverside building actually started. Stripping out costs for asbestos and RAAC only become clear once work had started. Similarly grand engineering costs rose because the footprint and orientation of the new building differs from the old school.
Local councillor Damian Doran-Timson told the meeting: “I welcome this step forward to get this new primary school moving. It will be long overdue.”
The new school was delayed for around a year before agreement was reached with the national investment programme. Riverside was closed and the children decanted after it was one of the first schools found with RAAC roof panels.
Executive councillor for education Andrew McGuire said: “I’m delighted that the delivery of the Craigshill Primary took an important step forward today.
“With construction starting in April, it will allow us to have the new school ready and open in time for the start of the 2027/28 school term.
“I’m confident that a superb new Craigshill Primary will be a huge asset to the local community for many years to come.”
Tweet Share on Facebook
