SCOTTISH Labour’s Cara Hilton called SNP pledges to fund education “long overdue” yesterday after Holyrood’s Education Secretary John Swinney pledged to create a new campus in Dunfermline.

Mr Swinney has announced that a new shared learning campus will be built to replace Woodmill High School, which was badly damaged by a fire in late August.

The estimated cost will be between £150-180 million and Holyrood has pledged to invest up to £90m to fund the college campus and up to 50 per cent of the school costs.

The proposed campus would unite pupils, students and staff at Fife College and the two high schools of Woodmill and St Columba’s.

Mr Swinney said: “Since the fire 10 days ago, I accelerated discussions with Fife Council and Fife College and I am now very pleased to confirm we support the development of a brand new joint-learning campus.”

Scottish Labour Party vice-chairwoman Cara Hilton, who is the Westminster parliamentary candidate for Dunfermline and West Fife, said that the spending pledge was “long overdue.”

She told the Star: “I’ve campaigned for new high schools for Dunfermline for the past seven years and I’m delighted that John Swinney has at long last agreed to help fund them after much pressure from parents and local campaigners.

“What we need to know now is when will the new school be built, and how will it be funded?

“Right now, 1,400 Woodmill young people are being taught in seven different facilities across West Fife. High school places are under huge pressure and yet house building continues to grow.

“We need to see progress fast — parents have waited long enough.”