A BATTLE is looming over plans by Lancashire County Council to build a new primary school in a Bacup park.

The county council has earmarked two sites - Rose Mill and Moorlands Park - as possible locations for a new school for St Saviour's but has come down in favour of the park.

The application is due to be considered by Rossendale Council's planning sub-committee next week.

But the council's leisure committee has already condemned the proposal. Coun Susan Baron said: "We should be trying to preserve our parkland not develop it."

The school is temporarily housed in nearby Stubbylee Park but a covenant prevents that park being used as a permanent home for the school.

Bacup councillors Jimmy Eaton and Keith Wright warned that if the council did not step in to preserve Moorlands Park, the people of Bacup could end up with no parkland for their own enjoyment.

Coun Wright added that the remote site was not suitable on safety grounds either for the children or the security of the building and urged the county council to consider other sites in the town.

Borough Director Steven Hartley said the council would be consulted as a planning authority but the decision would be made by the county council.

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