School site saga: We must move on

WHERE do we go from here . . . Diggle looks like being the preferred option for Saddleworth School

A VOLUNTARY group has said the much-debated new Saddleworth School should be built in Diggle.

A statement from the technical group set up to support the school’s design process, said: “Based on the information provided by the EFA and Oldham Council and following careful deliberation, the group accepts that the Diggle site offers the best location.

“The group has considered both the control option identified for the Diggle site and proposals drafted for the Uppermill site.

“It has focussed on which is the most viable site given the constraints we have to deal with: access, time, environment, safety, finances and infrastructure.

The technical group is made up of local people with design or construction experience.

The announcement follows a campaign by Save Diggle Action Group - urging that the new £17 million school should be rebuilt on the current Uppermill site.

Addressing more than 200 people at a public consultation meeting, council leader Jim McMahon said Diggle was “the only game in town.”

Yesterday head teacher Matthew Milburn said: “The group accepts that Diggle is the better location for the school. We have considered both options with an open mind but at some point we had to move on.

“That is not to say we do not respect the views of those who would rather the school not be built in Diggle.

“I’ve asked again about moving the school to the back of the site and the EFA have looked at it but it is prohibitively expensive with demolition, culvert issues and additional complications of a listed building.

“You cannot move a school for 1,500 pupils without some infrastructure issues but I hope we can come together as a community to resolve those.

“I hope, as a community, we can come together to resolve these - and we need the energy to work together and make the very best we can.”