ONE of Scotland's leading architects will tonight unveil his vision for transforming a run-down Edinburgh high school.

Malcolm Fraser, who has won a string of awards for major projects across Scotland, offered his services free to help parents fighting to secure a new home for Boroughmuir High.

His plans involve the creation of three buildings, including a new sports complex, around the existing B-listed school.

Mr Fraser – whose practice designed the Dance Base complex, the Scottish Poetry Library and the Scottish Storytelling Centre in the capital – offered to produce detailed plans for a new-look Boroughmuir as his eldest daughter Issery, 13, is at the school.

The school is one of five in the capital facing an uncertain future because of the condition of the existing buildings, the difficulty of finding any alternative sites and the huge costs involved.

Plans for a new Boroughmuir were dealt a major blow earlier this month when it emerged that the banking giant HBOS had entered into exclusive talks with the brewer Scottish & Newcastle to buy a site previously earmarked for a new high school.

Although Mr Fraser's vision is still expected to cost upwards of £20 million, he told The Scotsman yesterday it was "more realistic and achievable" than trying to secure a completely new school elsewhere in the city.

He said: "I'm very hopeful that these plans can be taken forward. We've had a lot of visions and schemes for possible new schools over the years that have come to nothing. The parents want to see the existing site refurbished and it's the best possible solution for Boroughmuir.

"The beauty of this scheme is that it could be carried out in phases to avoid causing too much disruption to the pupils. I'm hopeful that it could be finished as early as 2013."

Among Mr Fraser's most recent projects have been the refurbishment of HBOS's headquarters on the Mound, the plans to convert the former Infirmary Street baths into a new arts complex and a new education and visitor centre in Holyrood Park.

Polly Purvis, the chairwoman of the school's parent council and head of the action group, said: "These plans offer a solution which combines vision, pragmatismand sustainability with a recognition of the current public sector environment.

"While we'd ideally wish to see the premises at Viewforth replaced with a 'new build' school on a green-field site within its own playing fields, it's widely recognised that a suitable location is unlikely to be found."

Plans to rebuild or refurbish five of the capital's high schools have been dogged by problems since May's elections, after the SNP scrapped the use of public, private partnerships (PPP) schemes to fund such projects.

Marilyne MacLaren, the city's education leader, said: "I've seen Malcolm's plans for Boroughmuir, which are very impressive, but the problem with going ahead with a refurbishment of the existing building is you can't raise any money from the sale of that site to help fund the work."

The plans will be unveiled at a public meeting in the school tonight (Wednesday 19th March) at 7:30pm.

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