A proposal to expand one of Bolton's most popular special needs schools to create 140 new places has been approved.
The plan for a new temporary classroom at Rumworth School on Armadale Road ahead of a permanent new two-story teaching block being built was debated at a town hall meeting last week.
The Ladybridge school, which teaches youngsters between 11 and 19 years old with various additional needs, says this is needed to keep up with growing demand.
Claire Parker, speaking for Rumworth School, said: “Due to existing overcapacity and the growing need for provision for SME children in Bolton as a whole it is considered necessary for the school to expand.”
She added: “This building will allow the school, which is currently operating over capacity, to expand.”
Ms Parker told the planning committee members that the council’s own education teams wanted to push ahead with their plans for the school and that the authority’s own officers had recommended the scheme be approved.
The temporary classroom will be in place for a year from September 2023 to September 2024.
This will allow work to proceed on a new permanent teaching block that will allow the school to take another 140 pupils and help address the need for special education need school places in the area.
Each of the two new floors will include seven classrooms along with other facilities.
The proposal includes the reworking of car parking spaces as well as the relocation of bin storage spaces at the school.
Cllr Andy Morgan, who represents Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor, said that Rumworth was “an absolutely outstanding school” and recommended his fellow committee members back the scheme.
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He said: “This is a really desperately needed extension to a facility that we should be quite proud of.”
The committee also heard how the plans had taken account of parking issues.
Chair Cllr John Walsh confirmed that by the time the scheme was finished there would in fact be a “net gain” in parking places in the area.
The committee ultimately voted to approve both the proposal for the temporary classroom and for the new teaching block.
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