Two public consultation events are to be held as Renfrewshire Council moves forward with plans to build a second primary school in Bishopton’s Dargavel Village.

A pre-application notice (PAN) was accepted by planners this week ahead of a planning application being submitted for the construction of the new educational facility at the north end of Craigton Drive.

The newbuild is needed because Dargavel Primary School in Arrochar Drive was built too small.

The PAN describes the proposed development as a primary school with integrated sports and assembly halls, cycle storage, parking and drop-off facilities, hard and soft landscaping, and an external 3G full-size flood-lit sports pitch available for community use.

Following the PAN’s submission on July 9, a 12-week pre-application period is currently underway.

The earliest that a planning application can therefore be submitted for the proposed school is October 2.

During this 12-week period, it is usual for applicants to carry out the pre-application consultation (PAC) requirements which include publicity and the holding of a minimum of two public events.

The two public consultation events will be held at Dargavel Primary.

The first event will take place between 6pm and 9pm on Thursday, August 22, while the second will take place at the same time on Thursday, September 12.

Non-statutory consultation is also taking place with various focus groups, including the new school design focus group and the transport and traffic focus group, both of whom are due to meet this month.

The PAN follows agreement by councillors in May that work to procure, design and build a new 800-pupil primary school for August 2027 on the proposed site (site E1 at the north end of Craigton Drive) should continue.

Councillors also agreed at the time that proposed revised catchment areas should take effect for the opening of the new school.

These points were given the green light at a meeting of the education and children’s services policy board at which the findings of the statutory consultation process were considered by elected members.

The decision has meant that the proposals are going ahead in a form that has divided opinion among more than 800 people who responded to a survey – with 331 opposed to the suggested site (40.6 per cent) and 323 in favour of it (39.6 per cent).