£19.2m school plan already under review

PLANNING saga: the former WH Shaw Pallet Works site in Diggle

CONTROVERSIAL plans for the new £19.2million Saddleworth School — approved just 14 days ago — are to be reconsidered.

Oldham Council has admitted - despite initially refusing - that it will hear proposals again amid claims by opponents they are unlawful. A special planing committee meeting will be held as soon as possible.

The council is acting to make sure it doesn’t leave itself open to a successful judicial review by campaigners who have raised £18,000 in a week to fund legal action.

Building work is due to start this summer, with completion in spring 2018. It is not known if this will be delayed if the plans are ultimately passed again.

The proposed new school on the former WH Shaw Pallet Works in Diggle — made up of four separate applications — was passed on February 25 despite concerns from opponents who fear problems with traffic, flooding, the loss of historical buildings and Green Belt land. They want the school rebuilt on its current site in Uppermill.

Hours before that meeting the council received a letter from objectors claiming insufficient importance had been given to the impact of the proposals on listed buildings.

A spokesman at the meeting claimed that the council would be acting “unlawfully” if the plans were approved. A request for the meeting to be adjourned or deferred was nonetheless denied. The council’s legal officer advised the plans were lawful.

But the council has now decided to reconsider the applications after external legal advice.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet member for housing, planning and transport, said: “We have taken external advice. As a responsible planning authority our chief consideration is to make sure every planning application follows the correct procedure.

“We consider it important the issues raised just prior to the meeting are considered by the committee.

“To avoid the risk of any further unnecessary potential legal challenge the four related applications will be considered again at an extraordinary planning committee.”

Parish councillor Keith Lucas said the impact on the historic buildings would be severe and not negligible.

“That’s what our lawyers advised we should hit them with first, but there are plenty of other areas to look at,” he said “It’s a rushed plan, they need to get it done as soon as possible and time is running out. We have said time and time again that concerns are not being given due attention and we have been proved right.”

Councillor Garth Harkness, Liberal Democrat spokesman for education on Oldham Council, supports the new school but said: “The way Oldham Council has handled the process of getting a new school for Saddleworth has been a disgrace.

“Far too many times Oldham Council has failed to manage this process properly and it plays into the hands of those who want to stop a school from being built at all.

“The majority of residents want a new school without further delay, so it is right that I support them but Oldham council needs to do things properly and get this sorted now.”