Primary school could be completely rebuilt if chosen as one of ‘shovel ready’ projects to benefit from £1bn in government funding

Littleborough Community Primary School could be completely rebuilt if it is chosen as one of the ‘shovel ready’ projects to benefit from £1bn in government funding.

The Department for Education has earmarked the school for a possible rebuild as it is nearing the end of its lifespan – as are parts of the leisure and children centre on the same site.

The project would deliver a new school with 14 classrooms, a sports/assembly hall and a nursery.

It would provide 420 primary school places and a further 26 places in the nursery at the Calderbrook Road site.

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

The government is expected to announce which projects will go ahead at its spending review on 25 November.

In order to be selected the school and council will have to demonstrate that the site is ‘shovel ready’ so building can begin in September next year.

The government is also more likely to opt for schemes that would provide a new school before demolishing the existing one – avoiding the need for ‘expensive or disruptive’ temporary accommodation.

However, ministers would only fund the school rebuild, not any works necessary to replace or refurbish the Link 4 Life leisure centre and the connected children’s centre.

A full rebuild of the children’s centre has been ruled out as being too costly – bringing the total cost of the project to nearly £1.8m, according to a report to a scrutiny committee report.

The cheapest option – retaining the existing buildings while rebuilding the school in the south west corner of the site – would cut off pupils’ direct access to outdoor play areas.

Instead the council is proposing to move the children’s centre into the current infant block – which does not need replacing – which would be refurbished and redesigned.

A report to the council’s Health, Schools and Care overview and scrutiny committee says the proposal – known as ‘Option 2’ – would deliver a ‘good school site’, that could be provided ‘in a timely and cost effective way’.

It states: “A new school is definitely the best outcome for young families in the area. 

“The costs of Option 2 to re-provide the children’s centre does include costs to the council, but could be considered a good investment given both the ongoing and past costs of maintaining the old school building (of more than £1.3m in the last seven years) while maintaining the campus nature of the site with leisure and children’s centre provision still being provided. 

“Option 2 would also give the council the opportunity to increase SEND provision which is a critical need within the borough, by utilising the additional space within the children’s centre building.”

The leisure centre would be largely unaffected, save for the loss of the dance studio/small sports hall. However, Link4Life may have access to the new school sports hall as well as sports facilities at a new secondary school pencilled in on a neighbouring site for 2023.
 

Read more: Rochdale facing pupil places crisis if delayed new free school does not open by 2023Published: 12 November 2020

The overall cost of the project to the council would be £500,000, with the government providing £220,000.

Councillors will also be asked to approve a further £249,000 ‘in order to manage any additional expenses related to the fact that this is a complex site and large project’.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter