Planning application submitted for Littleborough primary school rebuild

Plans have been submitted for a replacement building at Littleborough Community Primary School, which is approaching the end of its lifespan and is deemed ‘no longer fit for purpose’.

It comes after the Calderbrook Road school was named as one of the first 50 in the country to benefit from government’s school rebuilding programme.

The government will stump up £220,000 with the council providing £500,000 and a further £250,000 in reserve in case costs run over.

 

 

The proposed two-storey building would boast 14 classrooms as well as a hall, library and multi-use games area (MUGA).

It has been designed to be one of the first ‘net-zero carbon in operation’ primary schools in the country.

Eco-friendly measures include the use of high efficiency air source heat pumps, natural ventilation and LED lamps.

Under the proposals the older school buildings would be demolished, while the children’s centre will also be knocked down and ultimately relocated to the existing infant block.

Those who use the gym/dance studio – managed by Link 4 Life – will be catered for at the main sports hall – which is not affected by the plans.

The cost of keeping the current building safe has increased significantly over recent years and is said to pose a ‘significant financial risk’ to both the school and the council.

A planning statement submitted with the application reads: “The current building is no longer fit for purpose and the existing Laingspan building structure is coming to the end of its lifespan. 

“The existing buildings will require demolition and a new school will be constructed on the site to replace this. 

“Following a survey of the building it was noted that the connecting gym and changing rooms, which are currently used by the leisure centre, would also need to be demolished as they would be structurally unsound following the removal of the primary school building.”

 

 

Littleborough Community Primary is a two-form entry school, with 420 primary school and 26 nursery places. There will be no changes to this as a result of the project.

Similarly, the number of parking places that serve the school, children’s centre and leisure centre will remain the same.

The new car park will provide 34 standard bays and two accessible spaces – seven of which will have electric vehicle charging points.

Work at the three-acre site is to be carried out in phases to minimise disruption and allow the school to continue to run as normal.

The School Rebuilding Programme was announced in June 2020 to carry out major rebuilding and refurbishment projects at school and sixth form college buildings across England, with buildings prioritised according to their condition.

The first 50 schools in the programme were announced in February this year and three other local schools are also benefitting from funding.

Whitworth Community High School will be rebuilt and Kingsway Park High in Rochdale and Newhouse Academy in Heywood (formerly Siddal Moor) will both benefit from substantial building work, but will not be totally rebuilt. National construction company, Wates Construction has been selected by the Department for Education to design and build the new school buildings.

A decision on the planning permission will be made by Rochdale Council.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter