Roysvale Park

The planning process is now underway, with the first public stages being consultations on the pre-planning application notice, set to take place towards the end of June.

This process will focus on the preferred site at Applegrove/Roysvale Park, which the council said would ensure the project stays on track to secure essential Scottish Government funding and avoid delays or increased costs due to inflation.

After a “thorough review”, the council said it had decided not to pursue further investigations into an alternative site at Lochyhill.

Several significant challenges were identified, including complex land ownership, lack of access for site investigations, and higher overall costs.

These issues make the Lochyhill option “impractical at this stage and risk delaying the delivery of the much-needed new school”, Moray Council said.

Cllr Kathleen Robertson, chair of the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee, said: “It’s good to see the new Forres Academy project coming to life as the design stage kicks off, with the decision to focus on Applegrove/Roysvale Park keeping things on track.

“While there are differing views in the community, it’s vital that we continue to make progress for the benefit of our young people and the wider area.

“Progressing into the design phase is a really exciting step in this major development for Forres, and I look forward to seeing the project continue to move forward over the coming months.”