School build divides public

PROTESTERS . . . outside Oldham Civic Centre

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THE long-running tug of war over the siting of the new £19.2million Saddleworth School has taken another dramatic turn.

As the Chronicle reported on Friday, objectors to the school being built in Diggle are seeking a Judicial Review in a bid to overturn Oldham Council's planning decision leaving anguished supporters in favour of the move dismayed and frustrated.

At first glance, Diggle typifies other Saddleworth villages with a mixture of historic homes and new properties.

But beneath its tranquil exterior, a simmering, bitterly acrimonious war of words is being played out against the background of the village being chosen as the site for the new Saddleworth School.

The fact Saddleworth parents and those from nearby areas desperately yearn for a new school is not in question.

But plans to move from Uppermill to Diggle have opened deep divisions and split the village and wider Saddleworth communities.

And now people are asking if the judicial review really is the last throw of the dice and how long will it be before the new school's future is finally decided and work begins.

The fledgling Diggle For Saddleworth School (D4SS) remain adamant they want the new school built on the old WH Shaw pallet works at Huddersfield Road.

They greeted Save Diggle Action Group's (SDAG) announcement of the judicial review with "utter contempt" arguing it will cause uncertainty, delays, additional costs, educational impact and could risk the new school building altogether.

Applications for the 1,350 pupils to be relocated from its existing site in Uppermill to Diggle were approved in April 2016 and would allow a further 150 school places in the new school with top class modern teaching facilities.

They say the existing school building has been identified as one in the poorest condition in the country and not fit for purpose.

And if SDAG are successful, they say the legal challenge could result in the planning permissions being quashed.

D4SS says it is geared to unite those who support the expedient delivery of the new school in Diggle.

They have underpinned concerns highlighting delays and uncertainty harried by the legal process may result in the funding being pulled from the project altogether.

And they fear deteriorating conditions at the current school in Uppermill could lead to its closure on safety grounds, as with other schools.

Keith Prior (51), from Dobcross, is a father of two and spokesman for D4SS.

He said: "SDAG do not speak for the majority of residents in Saddleworth as they claim.

"Many are appalled, angry and dismayed by the delays and selfish actions of SDAG. We know the Diggle site isn't perfect, but it's the best site in Saddleworth.

"Diggle will provide numerous benefits the existing site can't, mainly due to it being larger and flatter.

"They include an unconstrained building laid out internally for the best educational provision, and additional sports facilities, including an FA-standard grass football pitch, of which there is a shortage in the area.

"And the site will not disrupt children's education during construction and at no risk to their safety.

"It will also provide additional funds for the school which will not be available if the school were to remain on the current site."

Claire Hilton, D4SS member, said: "SDAG are seriously misguided if they think challenging the planning permissions will result in the school being forced to be built on its present site in Uppermill.

"The courts cannot make the school be built elsewhere. At best, a successful judicial review will lead to Oldham Council retaking the decision on the planning applications to build the school in Diggle.

"SDAG know there are no plans to build the school on the Uppermill site. They are just causing unnecessary delays and jeopardising children's futures for their own selfish interests.

"And SDAG, win or lose, will cost the Education Funding Agency and Oldham Council thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money.

"This is simply wasted money which could have been spent on the school itself."

And D4SS member, Diane Blundell, declared: "SDAG simply cannot see if the school was built on the existing site in Uppermill it would be compromised from the start.

"We want the best for our children! The judicial review will only cause risk to the new school and not result in it automatically being built in Uppermill.

"Given SDAG has started the legal process it is clear its sole purpose is to cause delay and damage to Saddleworth's school children, as well as generations of children to come."

Keith Lucas (69) is SDAG's spokesman.

He said: "SDAG is now being forced to take the step we all hoped we might be able to avoid.

"We are seeking judicial review of the decision to grant planning permission for the new secondary school in Diggle, having twice pointed out the flaws in the application to Oldham's Planning Committee.

"We sympathise with parents and children who are frustrated at the delays which have beset the school project.

"SDAG members are parents of children at the school and we have always agreed the school is needed but our opposition has been to the choice of site.

"The school could have been in operation by now if an early decision to site it in Uppermill had been taken."

And he says more than 3,300 people signed a petition calling for the school to remain in Uppermill.

"There were 1,339 objections to the application to build the school in Diggle and only 26 comments were submitted in support of the proposal," he says.

"An independent poll indicated 78 percent of Saddleworth people want the school to stay where it is.

"Despite this sustained public opposition, the council has stuck dogmatically to its initial flawed choice of site, become embroiled in planning problems as a result ­- then handled them very badly."

And to boost their firepower, the group have recruited Irwin Mitchell, solicitors who have a track record of success in opposing inappropriate development.

And they say their barrister, Robert McCracken QC, is as 'An exceptional barrister who cares passionately about environmental justice'.

Mr Lucas, a retired TV producer and father-of-three, insisted: "We have not taken this decision lightly. But this will be our last stand, the final chance to prevent the Diggle valley from being bulldozed and levelled."

Dobcross Village Community executive and worried villagers met Oldham council officers, borough, ward councillors and MP Debbie Abrahams at a public meeting last year outlining the village traffic problems.

A DVC spokesman said: "The village is already at breaking point with traffic using the village as a short cut to Diggle.

"We have serious concerns over road issues and speeding traffic and will be monitoring the school developments very carefully."