£58m new schools get the go-ahead

£58m new schools get the go-ahead

Plans to build three new schools and rebuild or improve four others at a cost of more than £58 million have been given the go-ahead. Approval for the major school building programme in Rochdale and Middleton was given by Rochdale's School Organisation Committee.

Three new special schools will be built to replace High Birch, Innes and Rydings Schools in Rochdale, Birtle View School in Heywood, and Alderman Kay School in Middleton.

The new schools will be built at Hamer Primary School in Rochdale, Hollin Primary School in Middleton, both of which will also be rebuilt, and at Oulder Hill High School in Rochdale, which will be refurbished and modernised.

Another new primary school will also be opened at Hartley Lane in Rochdale, replacing Hill Top and Queensway Primary Schools. The school will have additional facilities for use by the community, and Rochdale Council will be consulting with stakeholders over the next few months on what those additional facilities will include.

Councillor Colin Lambert, Cabinet member for Children, Schools and Families, said: "This is the biggest ever investment in Rochdale's schools and is a great opportunity to provide some fine new premises for pupils, staff and the local community.

"We've been consulting on these proposals for a long time and I know that most people who care about the education service are now in favour of the new schools.

"Now we have approval to build them, I'm looking forward to working with everyone involved to make the projects a success. I'm confident that the new facilities can make a real difference to the people that use them."