THERE are plans to build a shared school campus and leisure facility in Neilston.

East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) is considering developing a joint site for pupils at Neilston Primary and St Thomas’ Primary which, according to the local authority, are in “poor condition”.

The views of parents, teachers and village residents are being sought by the council after the council set aside £100,000 from its budget for to help fund a feasibility study into the proposal.

While both schools will retain their separate identities, the venture would see youngsters share a library and leisure facilities.

The News understands ERC has already begun consulting with parent councils and weighing up potential locations for the campus.

These include the two current school sites, Neilston Leisure Centre and Neilston Library, all of which are owned by ERC.

Neilston, Uplawmoor and Newton Mearns North Labour councillor Paul O’Kane sat down with The News to discuss the proposal.

It is one he believes will benefit not only future generations of children, but also the village as a whole.

Cllr O’Kane said: “We’re beginning to do a feasibility study around the two local schools and leisure facilities to see how we can plan for the future.

“We’re looking to see if a shared site is a possibility and if that is something that local people want. We know that Neilston Primary is in a really poor condition – I think everybody would admit that.

“We know that St Thomas’ is also quite tired so we’re looking at the next time the Scottish Government opens up the purse strings to fund new schools, we want to be at the top of the queue to get a new school built in Neilston.

“Essentially what would happen is the shared campus model, which exists elsewhere.

“You’ll have two schools; you’ll still have a St Thomas’ Primary and a Neilston Primary but they’ll share a site and they would share certain facilities.

“It’s about looking at the library, the leisure centre, all the sports facilities and halls in the village and looking at what we can do on this new school site if we go down that road to actually provide new community facilities.

“It’s what Neilston needs. It’s what, I think, Neilston wants and I’m keen to hear from as many people as possible telling me what Neilston wants.”

In its budget last week, ERC approved investing more than £131 million in major capital projects and over £4 million in services.

The money assigned to the proposed shared school campus feasibility study will also allow the local authority to gauge Neilston residents’ views on how the project could improve community facilities.

Cllr O’Kane is hopeful the consultation period will start in earnest in April when the new financial year begins.

“I’d like to come out with a plan going forward with recommendations to then think about how we fund this to make it a reality,” he continued.

“I would be hoping we’d be able to start that fairly quickly in the new financial year and run that through to the summer and beyond the summer period as well so we’re speaking to everyone who’s got an interest and we’re doing it in a community-focussed way.

“All too often there’s been a lot of promise and maybe not a lot of delivery.

“So it’s about how we make a firm plan and go forward to deliver it because this ticks a whole number of outcomes for Neilston and I think it’s exciting.

“It’s saying to Neilston, ‘We know that you’ve been making these arguments for a long time’.

“It’s about saying the council is recognising these are priorities for Neilston and we’re going to drive them forward.”

Neilston Community Council chairman John Scott hopes the proposed venture will become a reality.

Though the issue has not yet been voted on, John would like to see fellow members consider its advantages.He said: “We heard about this for the first time two months ago.

“We know that there plans to do a feasibility study for a shared campus. It could well be the shared campus could incorporate leisure facilities.

“Certainly the two schools do need replaced. In my own opinion St Thomas’, the fabric of it is in a very poor state and from what I gather Neilston Primary is rapidly running out of space so it seems to make economic sense.

“I know St Thomas’ had work done this summer or the summer before to windows and fabric at the back.

“Unfortunately it’s exposed to the wind and elements and once that starts you’re talking about spending an absolute fortune.

“If the shared campus is the way to go for economic or social reasons, I would be in favour of it. I think there are advantages.”