Concerns over the future of Lenny Barn

Falinge Park High School

"Can the council explain how the proposed land swap is in the best interests of Lenny Barn?", was the question asked by a Rochdale man at the Rochdale Township Committee meeting this week.

The question relates to Rochdale Borough Council wanting to re-build Falinge Park High School using land (Lenny Barn) adjacent to the current school. In order to try and assuage the covenant trustees of the land, the charity commission, the council is proposing a land 'exchange' to replace the area of playing fields that would be lost to the new development. However, the 'exchange' land proposed is a considerable distance from Lenny Barn and therefore of little use to many of the current users. 

Carl Faulkner, the man asking the question at the Township meeting, told Rochdale Online of his concern about the proposed land swap.

Mr Faulkner is a former pupil of the school and has lived in the area for many years; he explained that although he has his own opinion he is raising these concerns for the people of Rochdale.

He said: “What the council don’t seem to grasp is that they have to prove to the charity commission that the decision is in the best interests of Lenny Barn, regardless of the school.

“If they can’t answer that question with a positive response then there is no reason for the decision to be supported by the charity commission.”

A covenant was placed on the Lenny Barn site in 1924. The land was left to Lady Royds by her husband Clement Royds. She then sold the land to Fredrick Lye, Mr Lye gave the land to the Borough of Rochdale with the following conveyance:

The playing fields to be used by scholars in attendance at schools situated within the beneficial area.

A covenant is a legally binding 'promise'.

In English Law the burden of a negative covenant usually runs with ownership of the land but a positive covenant is usually personal to the persons entering into the same unless a covenant of indemnity is given by subsequent owners.

Mr Faulkner added: “Over the years they have encroached on the playing fields. The sports hall should never have been built, the tennis courts should be available to everybody and they aren’t.”

Mr Faulkner believes that the school can be built on the current site, he appreciates it may cause disruption but said it "can be done".

He added: “To build a school slap bang in the middle of Lenny Barn will be the thin end of the wedge, what will happen in 20, 30 or even 40 years time?

“People have never been able to build on Lenny Barn, I am pretty sure if they could it would have a housing estate on there now.

“My concern is that there are two separate issues here, what is best for the school and what is best for Lenny Barn. The two need to be separated.

“My son may start at Falinge High School in September and I understand parents want the best in terms of education but what is best for the children is not what is best for Lenny Barn.

“If the council do the wrong thing and they don’t respect the rules and regulations then what example are they setting for the children?"

Mr Faulkner also voiced concerns about the lack of presentations made regarding the proposals: “It is very odd that the council isn’t giving the usual presentations, in this case showing what Lenny Barn will look like, usually we have artists’ impressions and so on. This hasn’t been done for Lenny Barn and I think the reason is because it will bring it home to people how much it will change and how different it will look.”

A panel was set up following previous proposals to build on Lenny Barn with the aim of ensuring that the decisions made on the land are for the best and the people on the panel just focus on the land and nothing else such as education.

New Schools Programme Support Manager, Keith Hill, explained that this consultation is at the very early stages and the only thing the agenda at this stage is a proposed land swap.

He said: “We are currently consulting on potential areas which may be put forward. We understand Mr Faulkner’s concerns and we are hoping to set up another meeting for members of the public to come and give us their comments on the building side of things.

“At the moment we don’t have a date for this but we aren’t trying to hide anything, we want to give people the opportunity to discuss this.”