A COUNCILLOR has joked that parents should be banned from driving their children to a new primary school, as plans were approved.

The new Whitecraig Primary School will mimic a colliery building, using charcoal and copper materials to reflect the local community’s mining heritage in a "bold and innovative" design.

And planners say that the two-storey-high arrival hall has been inspired by the Scottish Mining Museum’s main function hall.

The new school received praise from councillors as it was approved at a meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee on Tuesday.

But while it has been designed to high eco standards, concerns were raised about the impact of parking around the school, leading Councillor Norman Hampshire, council leader, to bemoan a lack of powers to ban parents from driving children to school,

Discussing the plans to introduce a new junction at the site and double yellow lines, Mr Hampshire, planning convenor, told colleagues: “It would be much better if we could just put a condition in saying you are not allowed to bring a car to bring your kid to school, you have to walk or cycle, but we cannot do that.”

East Lothian Courier: An artist's impression of the new Whitecraig Primary School entrance. Image courtesy of East Lothian Council

An artist's impression of the new Whitecraig Primary School entrance. Image courtesy of East Lothian Council

The new school will replace the current village school, which is over 60 years old.

Council architect Michael Cernicchiaro told the committee that a refit of the current building had been ruled out because it had asbestos and was at “the end of its life”.

The new school, which is on a site to the south west of the current building, pays homage to the mining industry with a range of unique designs including columns of brick colonnades, repetitive windows mimicking colliery architecture, and black, metal corrugated roofing.

In a modern twist, charcoal bricks are used with contrasting copper to reference coal mining.

Local ward councillor Colin McGinn said that the "innovative design" of the new school would serve the community and staff well.

And fellow ward member Councillor Andy Forrest, who attended the old school as a boy, said: “The old school served the village well, it is where I started my education

East Lothian Courier: An artist's impression of the new arrival hall in the new Whitecraig Primary School. Image courtesy of East Lothian Council

An artist's impression of the new arrival hall in the new Whitecraig Primary School. Image courtesy of East Lothian Council

“This new school is innovative in that it will hark back to the heritage of the village, which is mining.”

Ward councillor Shona McIntosh described the school as "bold and ambitious" in its design.

And she praised sustainability practices being used in the building.

The Scottish Greens councillor said: “I think this is the first application on a  planning committee I have sat on where a public building has been built to passivhaus [style] standards so that made me really happy, and hopefully it won’t be the last time.”

The committee unanimously approved the new school planning application.

Work is expected to start in June and it is planned for the new school to open its doors late next year.