Highland Council NOT advised to close Charleston Academy in Inverness or Nairn Academy over dodgy concrete
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Highland Council has confirmed that “nearly all” safety inspections and works on schools in the region that were built with dodgy concrete have been concluded and there was “no recommendation to close the buildings
In what is a nationwide scandal dozens of schools, hospitals and other buildings have been found to have used reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – a type of concrete used in the 1960s and 1970s which was found to no longer be safe.
It was feared that Charleston and Nairn Academies were at risk of closure after the council was forced to shut a whole block of Thurso High School altogether while NHS Highland found dozens of examples in some of its buildings.
A council spokeswoman said: “We have engaged with specialist engineers who have the required expertise and experience to undertake RAAC assessments.
“We can confirm that, in line with their advice, nearly all safety critical works have been completed or securely fenced off until completion, and further non critical remedial works continue to be carried out. No recommendation to close the buildings was made.”
She added: “The Highland Council has two schools that are known to have buildings that contain RAAC components in their roof and wall construction; these are Charleston Academy and Nairn Academy.
“The council has been proactive in carrying out regular surveys of these buildings since 2019, in line with relevant guidance and as part of an overall management strategy.”
