THE site of a former school which shut in 2005 is earmarked for housing under plans being drawn up by developers.

BellMac Developments is “proposing” to submit a planning application for the site of the former SS Osmund’s RC Primary School site on Blenheim Road, Breightmet, saying it will “enable the provision of much needed housing for the local area”. The houses, if given the green light, will be offered for rent and managed by the company.

Plans for the site will be revealed in more detail tonight at St Osmund’s Church Hall, where the developer will be sharing its initial ideas with the local community.

The site has been derelict and undeveloped for many years since SS Osmund RC Primary and SS Andrew’s RC Primary merged and moved to a school building in Falkirk Road, Breightmet.

BellMac Developments delivers, lets and manages properties across Greater Manchester.

In a letter to local councillors, the owner, Mike McManus stated: “You will appreciate the site itself is an allocated housing site and as such provides the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the ongoing redevelopment and improvements currently ongoing in this area and will help to address the shortage of high quality much needed housing.

“Following detailed discussions with your officers, we have been preparing a detailed planning application to redevelop the site into residential units.

“Our proposals are of a high quality and it is intended they will be offered for rent and managed by my company following completion.

“Given the significance of the site and the inevitable local interest we are keen to engage with local residents and the community and as such are holding an open event in the church Hall so that we can explain our plans and canvass local opinion thereon.”

The open afternoon will start at 4pm and finishing at 6.45pm.

No one from Bellmac Developments was available for comment. In 2003 council bosses agreed to a land-swapping deal in which it took over the sites of the two schools.