Raft of progress reports shared

UPDATES were this week given to councillors on the council’s capital investment programme.

Several significant projects were highlighted that are transforming communities across the region.

They heard about the major redevelopment underway at Dumfries Academy and Loreburn Primary School. Detailed investigations took place during the summer and are helping shape the Stage 1 Outline Business Case, which will be reviewed by officers in September. The project aims to modernise facilities and enhance learning environments for pupils and staff.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that construction of the new Dumfries High School is progressing ahead of schedule. The project is currently 60 per cent complete and the new building is set to be handed over in April 2026.

In addition, it remains on budget at £53.246 million.

Also on track is the work at the Dumfries Zero Waste Park, which began in April and is due for completion by September 2026. Groundworks, drainage infrastructure, and car park formation are well underway. The strip-out of equipment in the MBT building has also commenced.

A progress report was given on the nine multi-modal transport hubs across the region, supported by funding from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. These hubs are designed to make sustainable and active travel more accessible by connecting everyday journeys, improving links between towns, and reducing car trips. The initiative aims to increase bus, walking, and cycling journeys while boosting visitor numbers. Galliford Try has been appointed to provide phase one pre-construction support, and the council’s in-house design teams have submitted statutory planning applications. Detailed design work is now underway, with site starts expected soon. Discussions are ongoing with potential delivery partners to bring transport hub infrastructure to community sites in Dalbeattie and Whithorn.

And, the plans for a new day centre in Annan are going through the RIBA design stages and the local authority has committed funding to support the next phase of technical design, with hopes of securing Regeneration Capital Grant Funding from the Scottish Government.

Commenting on the updates, Cllr Andy Ferguson said: “These projects represent a significant investment in the future of our region.

“The redevelopment of Dumfries Academy and Loreburn Primary is a shining example of how we’re putting education and community wellbeing at the heart of our capital programme.”