Former Dundee school could be partially demolished for new housing

Angus-based developer Simco Inveraldie Ltd has lodged a planning application seeking permission to redevelop the former Rockwell High School on Lawton Road into a mix of flats and houses.

The proposals would see part of the category B-listed school building retained and converted into 28 flats, while sections to the east, including the dining and assembly halls, would be demolished. The site’s grounds would also be redeveloped to accommodate 12 semi-detached, seven terraced and two detached houses.

According to plans prepared by Dundee-based architects ARKTX, the project aims to strike a balance between preservation and regeneration.

“The partial removal of some of the building will allow new-build development to happen, which is necessary to secure a working viable solution,” the documents state.

They add that the main entrance and stairwell, key features of the school’s historic façade, will be retained to preserve its contribution to the Lawton Road streetscape.

“This new-build element will happen to the eastern end of the site and the existing streetscape will be unaffected due to the retention of much of the publicly viewed frontage,” the submission continues.

Historic Environment Scotland has reportedly accepted this approach, noting that the eastern sections of the school are of “lesser importance and build quality”.

Rockwell High School first opened its doors in April 1930, serving the community for nearly seven decades before closing in June 1997, when it merged with Kirkton High to form Baldragon Academy.

Since its closure, the building has intermittently housed pupils from Morgan Academy, St John’s High and Harris Academy during refurbishments. In recent years, however, it has fallen into disrepair and become a target for vandalism.

The building was declared surplus to requirements and marketed for sale in 2020 as a potential conversion or development opportunity.

The developers say that the project will make use of recycled materials from the partial demolition and that asbestos, discovered in the roof in 2015, will be safely removed before any work begins.

“The development will be distinctive with a strong sense of identity relating it to the original use,” the planning documents note.

The Rockwell Learning Centre, which occupies a separate and retained section of the site, will not be affected by the proposals.

Dundee City Council will consider the planning application in the coming weeks.