Schools across Scotland built by Miller Construction are undergoing safety inspections following an incident two months ago when large sections of brick cladding were blown from the wall of a Miller-built primary school in Edinburgh.
The severe damage to Oxgangs Primary in Edinburgh came during “Storm Gertrude” in late January.
Immediately following the incident, Edinburgh City Council closed Oxgangs and three other schools built by Miller Construction for safety checks.
According to the BBC, safety inspections revealed issues with how the wall at Oxgangs had originally been constructed.
The contractor, which was acquired by Galliford Try in 2014, has started remedial work at Oxgangs and is assessing the requirement for work at the the other three and the four schools are only due to re-open after the Easter break.
According to Galliford Try, it contacted Glasgow, Fife and Inverclyde councils about the possible risk.
Checks have now been launched at eight schools in Fife built by Miller, and a “handful” in the Glasgow area.
Oxgangs Primary School was damaged during Storm Gertrude
Shelagh McLean, head of education and children’s services at Fife council, told Dundee’s The Courier website: “Fife Council has contacted both of our PPP contractors, who are monitoring the situation in Edinburgh. They will be carrying out inspections in Fife during the school Easter holidays.
“Both contractors also carry out annual inspections of the building fabric and free-standing walls as part of their ongoing maintenance.”
The Fife schools were built by Miller Construction at eight sites between 2005 and 2007 as part of a PPP deal.
A spokesperson for Galliford Try said: “The four schools temporarily closed in Edinburgh comprised the second phase of the PPP1 programme, which was completed by Miller Construction in 2005.
“We have already started remedial work at Oxgangs Primary School and are assessing the requirement for work on the further three schools.
“Any remedial work required will be carried out as quickly as possible allowing the children to return to their studies with the minimum disruption.
“While we are not aware of any defects, as a precautionary measure, we have contacted the clients of the PPP school projects Miller Construction undertook in Glasgow, Fife and Inverclyde.
“Further investigations will be carried out as appropriate.”
Miller Construction was part of a consortium contracted to build a number of schools across Scotland in 2001.
The deal, worth £360m, saw the consortium contracted to design, build and maintain schools for 30 years.
