Councillors have agreed a site for the new Forres Academy.
Members of the education, children and leisure services committee unanimously chose the Applegrove Roysvale option for the replacement school.
A public consultation, which received almost 1,200 online responses, favoured the Lochyhill site on the eastern outskirts of the town.
‘Careful weighing up’
Almost 55% of responses preferred it compared to just over 45% for the Roysvale site in the town.
However of the 330 people who identified as a parent or carer of a child, the breakdown was 52% backing for the town centre site with 48% for Lochyhill.
The decision will now go to a meeting of the full council next week for consideration.
At the meeting on Tuesday deputy chief executive Denise Whitworth said while Rosyvale was the preferred option there were positives and risks with both sites.
And she added there would have to be “careful weighing up” of those issues.
However Lochyhill will be kept as a backup location in case more in depth work found problems with the preferred site.
Forres councillor Scott Lawrence praised folk for taking part in the consultation.
He said there had been some “accusations of bias” but he tried to look at the evidence “objectively”.
Cost effective
Mr Lawrence added the feasibility study had given him confidence in backing the Roysvale site.
He was seconded by fellow Forres councillor Paul McBain.
Mr McBain felt it was not an easy decision to choose between the two locations.
He said: “I truly believe this is the right way forward. Not just for education but what it can bring Forres.”
The Roysvale site is expected to cost £3.5 million less than Lochyhill.
And with Applegrove Primary nearby it offers the benefit of a five to 18 campus.
That includes an easier transition for children from primary to secondary and a shared management structure and curriculum.
However the council will have to gain approval to use common good land at Rosyvale.
Common good land
That requires consent of the sheriff court following a public consultation.
And if that were to be refused the local authority would have to buy another piece of land adding to the cost and increasing time scale for completion.
It is thought the cost of a new Forres Academy will exceed £80 million.
The new school is expected to be operational in early 2028.
Scottish Government funding has been secured for up to 50% of the building costs. The rest will come from Moray Council.
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