Government Re-Build Plans for Greater Manchester Schools

How Littleborough Community Primary School (left) and Whitworth Community High School (right) could look under govt rebuild plans

Images: Wates Print

Artist impression of how Littleborough Community Primary School could look. Image: Wates

Artist impressions of how two local schools which are to be rebuilt, could look, have been released ahead of planning applications being submitted.

Both Whitworth Community High School and Littleborough Community Primary School are to be rebuilt by construction firm Wates under the government’s new 10-year school rebuilding programme.

Kingsway Park High in Rochdale and Newhouse Academy in Heywood (formerly Siddal Moor) will also both benefit from substantial building work, but will not be totally rebuilt.

National construction company, Wates Construction has been selected by the Department for Education to design and build the new school buildings.

Littleborough Community Primary School

The new Littleborough Community Primary School building will deliver a replacement new school with 14 new classrooms, new sports/assembly hall, nursery, for a 420 place school (60 places in each year group) and a 26 place nursery.

Work on the new site is due to start from September 2021 and will be on land within the Littleborough campus so that a smooth transition to the new building can happen.

Speaking when the plans were first revealed earlier this year, Louise Woodman, headteacher at Littleborough Community Primary, said: “I am delighted that we have been chosen for a new school. This is going to be really exciting for us and the wider community. Our children will be so thrilled and this is going to be hugely beneficial for them.”

The planning application for the new Littleborough Community Primary School is due to be submitted next month.

You can view the proposals and submit questions and comments to the design team by 27 April prior to the application being made: CLICK HERE

Whitworth Community High School

Whitworth High is largely a 1960s prefabricated building, aside from the lottery-funded sports hall, which was constructed around 15 years ago. Part of the school was reconstructed in the early 2000s whilst the former humanities block, a separate building, was demolished more recently, around a decade ago.

The new main school building will be between two and three storeys high, set within a new landscaped setting, and the car parking will also be relocated within the site. There will be no change to staff and pupil numbers.

The school will remain fully operational during the build process, without the need for any temporary teaching accommodation, and the older buildings are to be demolished after the new buildings are brought into use.

In a letter to parents in February, Gillian Middlemas, headteacher of Whitworth High, said: “Our school is a 1960s building and has served the community well.

“We all know that buildings don’t make a school. What makes a school is vision – powered by commitment, challenge, common purpose and a caring community. But having a new, environmentally friendly, 21st century place to learn and to work will be of great benefit to everyone.

“This is a fantastic boost for our students, staff and families and for our whole community. Ours is a school which is at the heart of the community and which is in the hearts of the community, and our new building will enrich the learning experience of our young people and be a proud, bold and forward-looking landmark for Whitworth.”

Subject to achieving planning permission, construction will start on site in September 2021. The aim is for the new building to be completed by the end of 2022, with the remaining works (building demolition etc.) due to be completed by the beginning of 2024.

Questions and comments on Whitworth Community High School’s plans must be made no later than 20 April 2021,  view the proposals online: CLICK HERE

Source: Rochdale Online