Academy focus on mill sites

EARMARKED... the Brook Mill and Oak Colliery site, Hollinwood

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OUTLINE planning applications have been submitted for two of Oldham’s three academies.

The academy at Brook Mill, Hollinwood, will use part of the neighbouring Oak Colliery site — ditched as the original location for the school following protests — for sports facilities.

It will replace Kaskenmoor and South Chadderton schools and is set to be run by the Christian charity Oasis Learning Trust. Oldham College will run the second academy at Orb Mill, Waterhead, which will replace Counthill and Breeze Hill Schools.

Although it will include sports facilities, Counthill’s playing fields will stay, with proposals for rugby league provision there linked to the academy.

Both academies will take up to 1,500 pupils and include community facilities. They will open in the existing schools in 2010 before moving into the new buildings in 2012/13.

A planning application for a third academy in Royton to replace Grange School is yet to be submitted.

The proposals are part of Oldham’s £230 million Building Schools for the Future overhaul to rebuild, refurbish or replace every high school in the borough by 2014.

Councillor Kay Knox, Cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “It’s important to remember that these are only outline submissions. The final design and plans will be much more sophisticated and we are committed to holding full and open consultation as we work on their development.”

The Liberal Democrats ditched Labour’s plans to build on the Oak Colliery when they came to power.

Proposals to use the public open space for playing fields were then revealed by the Chronicle.

Councillor Knox added: “We have given a commitment not to build on the Oak Colliery site.

“However, we propose to use some of it for sports facilities and we do see the academy as an opportunity to review current sport and leisure provision.

“We have begun work locally to look at ways of starting a discussion between the council, residents and the sponsor to see how best we can manage this.

“We want to have the same kind of debate in relation to the Orb Mill site.”

Consultation on the outline plans starts immediately and a decision is expected by the planning committee in July. Detailed designs will be developed over the next nine to 12 months.