Diggle confirmed for new school

THE hall was packed for the school announcement

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AROUND 200 residents flocked to a public meeting last night to be told Diggle will be the site of a new multi-million-pound Saddleworth School.

The new school — costing £15 million — will be built on the former Shaw’s pallet works site and will house 1,500 students by 2015.

The decision was announced at Uppermill Civic Hall as locals quizzed Oldham Council leader Jim McMahon and chief executive Charlie Parker.

Councillor McMahon told the audience: “This is not Oldham versus the Saddleworth community. We are fighting tooth and nail to make this new school happen.”

He admitted consultation should have happened earlier but blamed a tight timetable on government requirements concerning the decision process

The new school will be two and three storeys high and 18 per cent larger than the existing Uppermill-based school.