Decision on New Secondary School in Preston to be Made in September

Lancashire County Council is set to make a final decision on where to build a new secondary school in Preston, with two potential locations being considered: a site off Maxy Lane in Higher Bartle and the former site of Tulketh High School in Ingol. The decision, to be made by the council's cabinet on September 4th, will bring an end to a long-running saga over the location of the facility, which is required due to the development of 5,500 new homes in the North West Preston area.

Key Takeaways:

• The new secondary school is required due to the development of 5,500 new homes in the North West Preston area, which is expected to lead to a growing demand for school places.
• The two potential locations being considered are a site off Maxy Lane in Higher Bartle and the former site of Tulketh High School in Ingol.
• The Maxy Lane site has concerns over "a lack of essential infrastructure, drainage and general site suitability," while the old Tulketh High plot suffers from transport "constraints."
• The bill for the school is estimated to be in the range of £30m-£40m, with the money to be borrowed by the council.
• The council's cabinet member for education and skills, Matthew Salter, has stated that the decision will be made "soberly and carefully" and that the choice of site will have a significant impact on the area.

Statistics:

• 5,500 new homes are being developed in the North West Preston area, leading to a growing demand for school places.
• £30m-£40m is the estimated cost of building the new secondary school.
• 320 homes are planned to be built in the estate that includes the Maxy Lane site, which has already been granted planning permission since January 2022.

Sources:

• Lancashire Evening Post: "Last-minute decision on new Preston secondary school site due in September"
• National World: "Decision on new secondary school in Preston to be made in September"
• Lancashire County Council: No specific document link available