Plans to build two new schools in Preston take key step forward

Ambitious plans to create two new schools in Preston have taken a crucial step forward.

The annual forecast of school place demand across Lancashire has identified several areas where additional places are required due to factors including new housing developments and rising birth rates.

In Preston, proposals are being developed to deliver a secondary school at the former Tulketh High School site and a primary school on the former hospital site at Whittingham. Public consultations for the new schools have already been undertaken, in line with the Department for Education Guidance.

This week, cabinet approved the commencement of work to design and obtain planning permission for the two schools.

Cabinet also agreed an additional recommendation to pursue the design and planning for a new secondary school on the land to be released North of Maxy Lane, assuming that the notice from the developer is issued within three months of today's date.

The land North of Maxy Lane was one of the alternative sites that was looked at following the public consultation. However, the land is not yet available due to an ongoing reserved matters planning application with Preston City Council and it has been unclear when the release of the land will happen.

In recent days, new information has come to light that has indicated that the Maxy Lane site could be coming forward quicker than we originally thought.

Cabinet has moved quickly to act on the new information to ensure this option remains on the table. The viability of the site can be tested as soon as we have access to it, which will not happen until full planning consent has been granted and the site is transferred into our ownership.

 Cllr Jayne Rear, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said: "Following the public consultation, we looked at a number of alternative sites in detail, including land North of Maxy Lane.

"Currently, we do not own this land as it is tied up in a planning application that needs to be reviewed by Preston City Council before the land can be transferred to us.

"However, developments over the past week mean that we now believe that there is a strong possibility that we could deliver the needed school places at this site.

"That's why we are also looking to move forward with the design and planning for a new secondary school on the land North of Maxy Lane.

"Alongside this, we will proceed with work to design and obtain planning permission build a secondary school at the former Tulketh High School site.

"It is important to keep our options open at this time to ensure we are able to deliver the places within the required timeframe and it is imperative that we do not delay.

"The proposals we are moving forward with will ensure we deliver on our promise to provide the right number of school places, in the right areas, at the right time to meet need."

The current proposal is for the primary school at Whittingham to open in September 2026 with initial provision for 210 places, with infrastructure to expand to 420 places. This would be delivered in a phased approach, enabling sufficient opportunity to review data and provide places as needed.

The secondary school on land North of Maxy Lane or at the former Tulketh High School site will deliver 600 places with a proposed opening of September 2027. Demolition of the old building has already been completed at Tulketh.

The latest proposals come after cabinet agreed last month to undertake a public consultation on the proposal to permanently expand Goosnargh Oliverson's Church of England Primary School, which will provide an immediate solution to the growing demand in Preston.