Oban Times letter: March 13

Dear Editor,

The opinion of Councillor Andrew Kane published in your March 6 edition serves to divide residents of the Isle of Mull once again.

The Investment Programme for the new High School was compiled on the pretext of serving the whole island and the recent survey by the Community Council showed over 70% of respondents in favour of a central location for the high school. Councillor Kane extols the virtues of the ‘blue economy’ which will, of course, be applied across the whole island. 

The councillors’ decision to locate the new school campus south of Tobermory overlooks the advice of their own selection criteria, which highlighted the lack of suitable space there with the question ‘will the new site accommodate the brief in full?’ 

Craignure scored 90 out of 100 but Tobermory South scored only 50, with no room for expansion and minimal space for a 7-a-side playing field. 

The council has resisted requests to consider and cost a split site solution i.e. maintaining the primary facilities in Tobermory and building a new secondary school in Craignure.  Therefore, the only options and the consequent selection of Tobermory were principally influenced by the travel time and costs for both primary and secondary pupils from Tobermory.

A new high school provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring the Island together, augmenting the economy and population in the south and giving pupils from the Ross of Mull a chance to participate in family life. 

The planning process must now consider the needs of the whole community, enabling representation from residents on plans for the new Campus in Tobermory. Could this process also stimulate investment in the Tobermory single track road?

Nigel and Rosie Burgess

Kintra, Mull