Perth & Kinross Council is to spend £145 million in the region’s school estate over the next seven years.

Plans for the two-phase investment programme will include a number of new or replacement schools and a substantial upgrade programme for secondary schools.

The Scottish Government is also funding a new secondary school at Bertha Park.

The proposed schools to undergo the first phase of upgrade works are Abernyte Primary, Balhousie Primary, Blairingone Primary, Braco Primary, Forteviot Primary, Greenloaning Primary, Logiealmond Primary, Methven Primary, North Muirton Primary and St Ninian’s Episcopal Primary.

Detailed option appraisals for each of these schools will be developed and these will be reported to councillors by December 2017.

Councillor Bob Band, convener of the lifelong learning committee, said: “There are significant challenges for managing the school estate over the coming years. These include changing demographics including population growth and movement, house building in certain locations, ongoing deterioration in building infrastructure, pressure on planned maintenance budgets and increasing revenue costs.

“The school building is such an important part a child’s learning and it is our responsibility to ensure that this environment is the best it can possibly be to support their development. This review will allow us to do that; and ensure that we are putting our resources into the right place and that we are adequately planning for the future.”