Asbestos found on Aberdeen school site
Three-month delay for Kaimhill
Published:
WORK on a new Aberdeen school faces a three-month delay after asbestos was found on the site.
City council bosses warned that a “significant” find of the hazardous material could lead to a 13 week hold-up at Aberdeen’s new Kaimhill Primary.
Asbestos was discovered after demolition crews began knocking down the old school this month.
The building, on Pitmedden Terrace in Aberdeen’s Garthdee, is being replaced by a new building, due to open in December 2010 as part of Aberdeen City Council’s 3Rs school renovation scheme.
Kaimhill pupils moved out of their school on October 1 to a temporary base in Braeside Primary, two miles away.
A progress report highlighted the asbestos problem.
Author Graeme Traill, the council’s 3Rs education adviser, said: “During the demolition surveys significant quantities of asbestos were discovered in the structure of the building.
“Works to remove this are under way. It is estimated this could potentially delay the building schedule by as much as 13 weeks, although attempts will be made to reduce this considerably,” he added.
The report also warned there would be a “considerable potential cost” in removing the asbestos.
Asbestos was previously uncovered during building work on Aberdeen’s new Manor Park Primary and the renovation of Seaton Primary School.
Asbestos was a popular and widely used building material prior to the 1980s because of its fireproof qualities.
However, it is made up of small fibres which, if they are in inhaled, can cause serious illnesses – including lung cancer.
