Meridian site ‘not an option’

BIRD’S EYE VIEW. . . An aerial shot, taken in 2006, of Radclyffe School shows the expanse of playing fields and green space that could be utilised

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OLDHAM Council has scrapped plans to build a £30 million Catholic high school at a controversial town centre site, following furious public protests.

It has told the Salford Diocese that the Meridian Business Centre, next to Oldham bypass, is no longer an option and that the school should be built at the old Radclyffe School site, off Broadway, Chadderton, instead.

The shock decision follows months of angry protests by campaigners who branded the Meridian site as dangerous, polluted and too small. The amalgamation of the borough’s Catholic secondaries — St Augustine in Werneth, and Our Lady’s, Royton — because of decreasing pupil numbers is part of the £230 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) plan to rebuild or refurbish Oldham’s secondary schools.

The council and diocese had previously stated only a town centre site would make the new school accessible to all and had dismissed criticism of the Meridian plans.

But, since the Lib-Dems seized control in May, they have reviewed the scheme and told Catholic leaders the Meridian site is neither deliverable nor affordable.

The Catholic school is set to be the first built under BSF and the council says only the Radclyffe site meets the criteria and is deliverable and affordable within the timescales.

Both parties are working together to consider the next steps.

The Oldham Catholic Schools Parents Association (OCSPA) hailed it as a victory for people power and a vindication of their high-profile campaign.

Chairman Tony Campbell said: “We are delighted and I’m glad that parents’ considerations and feelings of horror on the Meridian site have been taken into account. This is what we have been after all along and what we have been fighting for in the past eight months.

“Our problem was always the site and we had no issues with the amalgamation. All along we said that Radclyffe would be a better site. It’s quite a good compromise and fills 99 per cent of parents’ aspirations.

“We are delighted our actions have been vindicated. We took to the streets and the media to highlight the problem and without that sort of pressure I don’t think anything would have happened.

“We had an overwhelming case against that particular site.”

Council leader Howard Sykes said: “We understand that this is very difficult for our colleagues at the Diocese, however it is a decision driven by the practicalities of the situation and has not been taken lightly. On balance, it is the best way of securing a quality Catholic secondary school in Oldham.

“My concern is that given the tight timescales in relation to BSF and Academies, there were some potential flaws in the proposal to utilise the Meridian site, which the former labour administration either failed to identify or decided to ignore.”

He denied allegations that the change was due to extra costs from the decision to relocate a proposed Academy in Hollinwood from Oak Colliery to Brook Mill - and insisted that switch would actually save money.

Councillor Kay Knox, Oldham’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “We understand this is a very sensitive issue for Oldham and having considered all aspects of the situation we now have to make practical decisions to ensure Oldham Council get the most from this once in a lifetime opportunity to transform education across the borough within the timescales.”

There will now be a further round of consultation with details announced shortly - but all aspects of planning need to be completed by January to enable the school to open in September 2012.

Hundreds took part in protest marches through Oldham over the Meridian plans and a survey of 257 parents showed 92 per cent were against, with concerns also over its busy surrounding roads and a potential lack of playing fields.