PRESTON Lodge High School should be fully re-open by February after East Lothian Council confirmed that the school's defective roof would be supported by a "new timber structure".

The Prestonpans school has been partially closed since May after inspections in the wake of new national guidelines found that "compromised" Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was present in some of the school's roof space.

READ MORE: Preston Lodge: Classroom closures cost council preliminary £3m

There are concerns that this lightweight form of precast concrete, frequently used in public sector buildings in the UK from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, could be susceptible to crumbling.

This resulted, in what has been described as a precautionary measure, in the closure of 23 classrooms and the installation of six temporary classrooms on the campus.

East Lothian Courier: The temporary classrooms installed at PL

Additionally, this year's new S1s are being taught for some subjects at their old primary schools in what have been dubbed 'home rooms'.

READ MORE: Preston Lodge High School: big change for new pupils

Issues concerning RAAC have also already forced the closure of the Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh and the dining hall at Ross High School, Tranent, and has impacted schools and public buildings all over the UK.

Today, East Lothian Council announced that a timber structure would be put in place to support parts of the Preston High School roof.

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: "Following a detailed option appraisal by Innovate East Lothian Ltd and FES FM Ltd, contract partners for six of the county’s secondary schools, it has been agreed that a new timber structure will be put in place in affected parts of the building, to support the existing roof.

"This option will result in the RAAC becoming a non-structural component of the roof fabric with the roof fully supported by the new wooden structure.

"This will provide a long-term technical solution and it is anticipated all affected learning spaces will be back in use with phased re-commissioning up to February 2024.

"It also provides a technical solution enabling the school to remain open, minimising disruption to learning and teaching."

The S1 pupil 'home room' set-up will continue but it "is anticipated all learning for this year group can resume within Preston Lodge building in advance of the full remediation works being completed in February 2024."

Tom Reid, head of infrastructure at East Lothian Council, added: “The confirmation of compromised RAAC within parts of Preston Lodge has presented a number of challenges, particularly for staff and students.

"While temporary arrangements were swiftly put in place to minimise disruption and ensure safety, there has been significant focus on identifying works to address the issue as quickly as possible.

“Close and effective partnership working between East Lothian Council, Innovate East Lothian Ltd and FES FM Ltd has resulted in us agreeing a technical solution which will see a new timber structure put in place to support the existing roof.”

“We will continue to work closely together in putting this solution in place. It is expected that affected classrooms will come back into use on a staged basis in the coming months.”

READ MORE: Ross High School dining hall closed following RAAC discovery

Councillor Fiona Dugdale, cabinet spokesperson for education and children’s and family services at the local authority, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their hard work in getting to this point.

"We are also grateful to staff, students and the school community for their patience and understanding as we have worked through this complex situation to agree a way forward.”

The remedial works will be carried out at no cost to the local authority, it has been confirmed.