Plan to create new special needs school thrown out

Plans for a new special needs school in Rochdale have been rejected by Rochdale Council's planning committee for being ‘the right plan in the wrong place’.

The proposal would have seen Rainshore House in Norden transformed into a specialist school for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Aurora Group, who would have run the facility, claimed the school would provide eight classrooms, dedicated therapy rooms; a 27-space car park; an allotment; and a playground.

It would have provided specialist curriculum areas for science, cookery and ICT for 55 pupils and 25-30 staff. 

Minor remodelling of the inside of the house as well as the demolition of the garage would have been necessary to make the project work, the planning committee meeting in Number One Riverside heard.

But locals claimed the new school would cause traffic chaos on Over Town Lane, which was described as ‘a narrow single track lane with poor visibility and no turning points’.

With the potential for increased comings and goings to the school, people from Norden felt this new school would impact on Greenbooth Reservoir visitors as well as the greenbelt.

The objectors added that the one-way street is too narrow to support minibus drop offs and increased traffic, the meeting on 6 November was told.

Stuart Willis, representing the objectors, said: “Me and Diane Thorpe have lived in Norden ward for 35 years and we know the area very well. There is a huge level of concern for this application.

“The villagers are worried about the impact on an important part of the greenbelt.” 

Fellow objector Ms Thorpe said the potential traffic congestion this new school could bring would be ‘a huge safety concern’. 

Councillor Peter Winkler added: “I don’t think anyone is against SEN schools, but it’s just in the wrong place.”

However, supporters and the Aurora Group argued that there is a need for suitable premises for SEN pupils. An agent speaking on behalf of the applicant highlighted a Freedom of Information request (FOI) that 449 Rochdale SEN pupils are educated outside the borough, costing the local authority £2m per year.  

“The most important reason for this is the much needed SEN school places in the borough,” the agent told the committee. “The special circumstances (to allow development on greenbelt) is up to you, the decision makers, to determine this.

“You can make a decision (to overturn the planning officer recommendation).”

In addition to the SEN places, the applicant emphasised the eco-friendly building methods would also qualify the plan for the special circumstances to build on greenbelt land.

Planning officers recommended refusal of the project, claiming it would cause inappropriate development on greenbelt land. 

Councillor Janet Emsley summed up the matter for the councillors against the application: “The refusal is based on where this is not what it is. This building is not in the right place for any development.”

The committee refused the application by a majority decision.

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter