Fears over drop-off point at new primary school

The proposed new Whittingham school lies on a former hospital site

Parking arrangements for a planned new primary school on the outskirts of Preston are devoid of "common sense", councillors have said.

Lancashire County Council had been asked to grant permission for the long-proposed facility on the former Whittingham Hospital site, off Whittingham Lane.

But the council's development control committee has raised fears about the potential danger in the design of a drop-off/pick-up layby outside the school gates where drivers would be required to reverse.

The education arm of the authority has been told to rethink the parking plan for the 420-pupil school, which includes a 16-place special needs unit and is due to open in September 2027.

Temporary school buildings are to be put up at the site so that 60 reception-aged children can be accommodated 12 months sooner, during the 2026/27 academic year.

It comes after the plans to build a permanent school were delayed.

'Common sense'

Under the proposal brought forward by county council education chiefs, a 22-space layby would be created close to the entrance to the school, where parents and carers could drop off and collect children.

County councillor Maria Jones, a committee member who also represents the Preston Rural division where the new school is to be built, said it was "absolutely essential" to provide a designated turning area, such as a mini-roundabout.

She said this was needed in order to "prevent chaotic ad-hoc three-point manoeuvres being made" in an area where so many children will be present.

Neil Stevens, Lancashire County Council's highway development control manager, said he was satisfied, from a safety standpoint, with the set-up that had been proposed, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But Ms Jones said that the current proposal "may be satisfactory to Mr Stevens, but it certainly does not pass the common sense test".