Desperately-needed community sports pitches should be fast-tracked after plans for the new secondary school earmarked to host them were put ‘on ice’, a council boss has said. Coun Janet Emsley, deputy leader of Rochdale council, says the local authority cannot ‘leave it to the whim’ of the government, following its decision to pause plans for the 750-place Lakeside Academy, in Littleborough.
The free school - which was set to be built at Littleborough Playing Fields and open in 2025 - was signed off in 2019, as concerns mounted over the area facing a shortfall of well over 100 pupil places. But the Department for Education rowed back on the decision last November -citing a projected drop in demand for places - much to the fury of Lakeside ward councillors.
While the school would be run by Star Academies, an agreement allowing the community access to its sports facilities would be required as part of the planning permission process. Coun Emsley told a meeting of the Pennines Township Committee the council needed to take matters into its own hands.
