Saddleworth School delays causing concern

Garth Harkness Oldham West and Royton.

ANGRY councillors united in their frustration at delayed plans for the new Saddleworth school.

The decision to postpone the judicial review against the school planning applications until the end of January was described as "regrettable" last night.

Planning permission was granted for a new school in Diggle with capacity for 1,500 pupils back in February.

But Save Diggle Action Group (SDAG), who are campaigning for the school to remain in Uppermill, is seeking a judicial review against planning applications.

Liberal democrat councillor Garth Harkness said: "The judicial review will not be heard until 2017. This is a regrettable delay.

"Can the Cabinet member tell me how the construction being put back will impact on the time schools can accept new pupils and if there is a contingency plan if the project falls apart? This prolongs agony for parents, pupils and staff ."

Construction at the new school in Saddleworth was originally set to begin in Easter 2014 ­- with the new school set to open in autumn, 2015.

Oldham Council and Saddleworth School are working in partnership, with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) managing the project for the Department for Education.

Labour councillor Amanda Chadderton said: "I would use something considerably stronger for this decision. Three years this has been going on. I completely agree ­- parts of Saddleworth School are 110 years old. It is one of the few schools left in Oldham which has not yet been rebuilt. When we bid for this three years ago other schools that won that money opened this September.

"But we are where we are."