Today's lesson: Build a bungalow

By Giancarlo Rinaldi
South of Scotland reporter, BBC Scotland news website

Pupils will follow the construction process all the way through

As school lessons go it is a pretty unusual one - build your own bungalow.

Yet students at Peebles High School in the Scottish Borders are about to be offered exactly such a unique insight into the construction trade.

Working with Fife building firm Muir Homes they will help put up a new house - in their own school grounds.

Next week Scottish Borders Council will be asked to commit about £50,000 to ensure the literally ground-breaking project can go ahead.

The council has been quick to stress that students would not be directly involved in any construction works.

Building skills

They would, however, take part in making the planning application and seeking a building warrant for the bungalow.

Architects would also liaise with a pupil-led "building skills group" which would learn the principles of "planning, design, construction and completion phases of the project".

Following approval of the completion and occupancy certificates, pupils might then be involved in some of the "final fit-out works to the house".

As hands-on training goes, it would surely be hard to beat.

The educational project is aimed at helping to teach pupils about the processes involved in the building industry.

It is hoped a planning application can be submitted next month and construction get under way in June.

The design stage of the project will see students involved

The whole operation should be completed by September.

The detached bungalow will then be used as a "craft, design and technology classroom" in the grounds of the school.

It will provide vocational training in construction trades.

At present, pupils have to travel to Borders College in Galashiels for that type of education.

Councillors will be told at a meeting next week that if they tried to undertake the scheme on their own the cost would be about £220,000.

All building materials, construction and management costs will be met by the Muir Group.

The council still has to decide whether or not to back the plans.

However, that could just be the beginning of the headaches for the pupil group involved in the project.

Planning process

There could still be objections to the planning application.

In addition, there is a specific legal requirement that the matter must be referred to the Scottish Government if there is a substantial level of opposition.

"This may result in a delay of at least six weeks whilst the planning application is considered," warns a report to councillors.

All of which should give students a clear insight into some of the difficulties currently being faced by house builders across the country.

It may just make a few of their other lessons seem a lot more straightforward.