'Green' objection to school's site

The Burnley branch of pressure group Friends of the Earth is objecting to plans to build one of the proposed five new schools on land off Rossendale Road in South West Burnley.

The group is against the plans as the site falls on a greenfield site and is outside the area earmarked for development by Burnley council and because they fear traffic will increase.

The group is also concerned over what will happen to the sites of Habergham, Ivy Bank and St Hilda's schools, which are set to close.

Avril Hesson, co-ordinator for Burnley Friends of the Earth, said: "We have several concerns over the proposals as they stand, including why there is a need to site one of the schools on a greenfield site when there are plenty of brownfield sites in Burnley not being used.

"We are also worried about the Rossendale Road site because the area is already quite busy and is not well served by public transport. That means an increase in cars with people taking their children to school. I know I wouldn't care to send an 11-year-old of mine to school across Rossendale Road.

"Another question is what will happen to the three sites where schools are closing. If they are left as green land, that is fine, but there is a concern they will be used for housing.

"We will be writing to Alan Whittaker, who is in charge of education at Lancashire County Council, to outline the concerns we have."

The origins of the £170million school revamp - in which eight existing high schools will be turned into five schools - are in the Burnley Task Force report following the Burnley riots in 2001.

Under the plans, Burnley has been divided into four quarters with each "quarter" housing a new school. Children will have to go to the school which serves their quarter.

In all, four new community high schools, a RC high school and a community college for 16 to 19 year olds will all be created in Burnley, while two new high schools will be created in the Nelson area of Pendle.

They would replace the eight existing high schools in Burnley, and two in the Nelson area.

The proposals involve:

A school for North West Burnley on the site of Gawthorpe High School;

A school for South West Burnley based in a site on Rossendale Road or Kiddrow Lane;

A school for South East Burnley based on premises within Towneley High School playing fields;

A school for North East Burnley based at Walshaw High School, and not Barden High as originally planned;

A Roman Catholic School to be built on the St Theodore's site, which will have its own admissions policy;

A 16-19 centre to be built at Barden High, rather than at St Hilda's High as originally planned.

In Pendle, Mansfield and Edge End Highs will merge and form a new school. And East Nelson will be served by a new school developed on the Walton High School site. No plans have been included for a Church of England secondary school. Pupils from Burnley will have to continue travelling to either St Christopher's CE in Accrington, or St Wilfrid's in Blackburn.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL campaign group has thrown a spanner in the works over £150million plans to revamp secondary education in Burnley and Pendle.

The Burnley branch of pressure group Friends of the Earth is objecting to plans to build one of the proposed five new schools on land off Rossendale Road in South West Burnley.

The group is against the plans as the site falls on a greenfield site and is outside the area earmarked for development by Burnley council and because they fear traffic will increase.

The group is also concerned over what will happen to the sites of Habergham, Ivy Bank and St Hilda's schools, which are set to close.

Avril Hesson, co-ordinator for Burnley Friends of the Earth, said: "We have several concerns over the proposals as they stand, including why there is a need to site one of the schools on a greenfield site when there are plenty of brownfield sites in Burnley not being used.

"We are also worried about the Rossendale Road site because the area is already quite busy and is not well served by public transport. That means an increase in cars with people taking their children to school. I know I wouldn't care to send an 11-year-old of mine to school across Rossendale Road.

"Another question is what will happen to the three sites where schools are closing. If they are left as green land, that is fine, but there is a concern they will be used for housing.

"We will be writing to Alan Whittaker, who is in charge of education at Lancashire County Council, to outline the concerns we have."

The origins of the £170million school revamp -- in which eight existing high schools will be turned into five schools -- are in the Burnley Task Force report following the Burnley riots in 2001.

Under the plans, Burnley has been divided into quarters with each "quarter" housing a new school. Children will have to go to the school which serves their quarter.

In all, four new community high schools, a RC high school and a community college for 16 to 19 year olds will all be created in Burnley, while two new high schools will be created in the Nelson area of Pendle.

They would replace the eight existing high schools in Burnley, and two in the Nelson area.

The proposals involve:

A school for North West Burnley on the site of Gawthorpe High School;

A school for South West Burnley based in a site on Rossendale Road or Kiddrow Lane;

A school for South East Burnley based on premises within Towneley High School playing fields;

A school for North East Burnley based at Walshaw High School, and not Barden High as originally planned;

A Roman Catholic School to be built on the St Theodore's site, which will have its own admissions policy;

A 16-19 centre to be built at Barden High, rather than at St Hilda's High as originally planned.

In Pendle, Mansfield and Edge End Highs will merge and form a new school ultimately to be based on playing fields at Bent Head to serve West Nelson and Brierfield. East Nelson will be served by a new school developed on the Walton High School site.