Head: ‘My sole desire is for a great school’

THE head of Saddleworth School has vowed to get the best new school for his pupils, as a tussle develops over its location.

Matthew Millburn was speaking for the first time at an open meeting of Diggle Community Association, attended by more than 80 people at the village band club.

Saddleworth Parish Council has submitted a proposal to Oldham Council to rebuild the secondary school on the current site in Uppermill. However, Oldham Council has identified the former pallet works in Diggle as the site for the new £15 million, 1,500-pupil school.

Mr Millburn said: “My sole desire is to create a great school for our children and this community. I do not mind if it is in Uppermill or Diggle as all we need is a cracking school.

“If the decision is Uppermill then I will bend over backwards to make that happen. But it has to stack up and if it doesn’t then we have to work on the Diggle site.

“I will admit it is easier if it is away from the current school due to health and safety, but if that is the best place for it then I will do everything I can to get the best school there.”

He added: “Nothing is insolvable. I would ask people to come together if it is a viable site in Uppermill and also if it isn’t. Let’s not get into entrenched positions against each other.”

Over recent weeks residents from across Saddleworth have joined Save Diggle Action Group, which opposes the school moving to the village, while Saddleworth Parish Council voted to support residents in their campaign to keep the school in Uppermill.

Concerns raised at the meeting ranged from narrow footpaths, environmental impact, destroying greenbelt area, poor sewerage systems and potential traffic problems in Huddersfield Road.

Councillor Brian Lord, chairman of Saddleworth School governors for seven years, revealed the current site is plagued by major issues.

“There is a temporary fire system in place under the understanding there will be a new school. It would cost £1.8 million to replace and that’s money the school can only dream of,” he said.

“Saddleworth had lost out on a new school before and it can’t happen again.”

Councillor Mike Buckley, who put forward the plans for redeveloping the Uppermill site, insisted building on the existing brownfield should take precedent over moving to Diggle.

He added: “There would be some disruption — that is inevitable. But the plan for the school is exactly the same as what has been suggested for Diggle.

“We were very surprised to learn Unity Partnership has not been approached to do a traffic analysis yet at Diggle. This needs to be done.”


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