Have your say on council plans for Edgar Wood Academy at Bowlee

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

The latest site outline for the new Edgar Wood Academy at Bowlee

A council consultation on the planned Edgar Wood Academy school in Middleton closes on Monday 13 July.

The council is consulting the public before submitting an outline planning application for the school, which is proposed for current grazing land located to the south of Whittle Brook and north of the Bowlee Playing Fields.

The location of the site in this consulation is different from that previously included in information documents distributed to residents in 2018.

This alternative site was put forward at a drop in meeting held on 6 March 2018 by Eric Larmett, chairman of the Friends of Bowlee group and backed by Councillor Neil Emmot: a plot of land bordering Whittle Brook down to Martindale Crescent.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/116867/controversial-bowlee-school-consultation-evening

The new school, to be run by The Altus Education Partnership, which runs Rochdale Sixth Form College will create 180 new Year 7 places, ultimately reaching a capacity of 900 by 2026.

A new access junction is also proposed to access the Edgar Wood Academy from Heywood Old Road at Birch.

The council is aiming to submit the outline planning application in August.

If the outline planning application is approved, the Department for Education will develop detailed proposals for the scheme, which will confirm the site layout, parking provision, appearance of the building, and sports provision. 

These detailed proposals will be the subject of a further planning application in due course and there will be a further opportunity to comment on these in the future.

Have your say before 13 July at:

• https://consultations.rochdale.gov.uk/research/consultation-on-the-new-edgar-wood-academy-at-birc/