Plan for new primary schools is scrapped

The county council has agreed to build a secondary school but plans for two new primary schools have been dropped

There are no current plans to build either of the two primary schools long earmarked for a rapidly-expanding part of Preston.

It has been seven years since a masterplan for the north west of the city proposed creating the new schools as part of a blueprint to build about 5,500 homes in the area across a two-decade period.

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet has agreed to build a secondary school at Higher Bartle - if the plot can be secured from the housebuilder by the new year - but there are no plans to build the primary schools.

The possibility of an infant and junior school being developed on land at Cottam Hall – behind the Ancient Oak pub on Merry Trees Lane – has also been scrapped.

The use of that site – which lay just beyond the masterplan’s borders – was subject to a public consultation nearly two years ago. 

However, the results were never brought back before the cabinet for a decision and now the proposal has been dropped.

Educational purpose

The masterplan document gave only indicative locations as to where the new primary schools should be built in north west Preston – one just south of the M55 in Higher Bartle and the other off William Young Way in Cottam.

Since then, one of the school plots was reserved as part of permission granted for a 200-home development north of Tabley Lane in November 2020.

Last month there was an application for an estate of 430 homes between Sidgreaves Lane and William Young Way.

The county council’s current stance means neither of those sites are set to be used for their intended educational purpose.

The authority has, however, agreed to develop a new primary school on the former site of Whittingham Hospital.

The school is expected to open in September 2026 and would initially provide 210 places with capacity for twice that number. 

A consultation has also recently been undertaken into the proposed expansion of Goosnargh Oliverson’s Church of England Primary School which could see it eventually double in size.