Vacant land once used for ‘all night rager’ set to have new £4m Wigan borough school built on it

Rowan Tree Primary Special School in Atherton is now destined to be moved two miles down the road to Leigh.

The idea is to expand the school, currently based on Green Hall Close, by building a new complex on the vacant site of the former Our Lady of the Rosary RC School off Heath Lane in Leigh.

This site has been vacant for more than a decade and has been misused for fly-tipping, parties during the Covid pandemic and much more, Coun Dane Anderton told the cabinet.

The portfolio holder for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies, said: “This is a really good opportunity to support this site and I look forward to seeing what the consultation produces. At one point this was used as an all night rager during Covid.”

The cabinet report, approved by Wigan Council bosses in the town hall, explained that the current school building has significantly exceeded its design life and may eventually present a health and safety risk. Additionally, the current site would not be big enough to accommodate the new school.

The proposal is to relocate the school to a bigger, more central site that is easier for Wigan children to access. The idea of changing location also benefits the students, in the council’s eyes, as construction could be disruptive for their education.

This move would see the intake at Rowan Tree Primary School expand from 117 to 154 and address the growing demand for SEND places.

Coun Jenny Bullen, portfolio holder for children and families, said: “This is a very welcomed report looking at a brand new school. The current school is unfit for purpose.

“It will provide additional SEND places where there is high demand and provide facilities that can meet the current curriculum. Some travel from all over the borough so this new build will benefit all children (going to a more central location).”

The cabinet heard how this project would form part of the Department for Education’s school rebuilding programme which has now been given permission to move forward with consultation for stakeholders.