A new pupil referral unit for around 50 youngsters is set to be housed in temporary buildings on the site of a town’s former technical college. Bury Council plans to install temporary modular buildings at a recently cleared site at Whittaker Street, Radcliffe.
The temporary structures will be used for a period of four years. The council said the new school spaces were needed after the relocation of the former Spring Lane School to the New Kershaw Centre (NKC).
This was to enable the construction of new secondary school to start in Radcliffe. Despite the relocation, there remained a lack of teaching facilities for vocational subjects, sports and science. The current Bury PRU estate was described as ‘fragmented’, operating out of four buildings.
A planning statement in support of the proposals said the site was a ‘vacant, unused, gravelled area within a dense residential neighbourhood’. The statement added: “The temporary structures shall be in use for four years, to provide classrooms, office spaces, and support rooms for 50 pupils and up to 15 staff members, ensuring continuity of education as a temporary measure before a new site and building is identified and constructed.
“The temporary buildings will have minimal impact on the surrounding neighbourhood. They are set back from the main roads and positioned to reduce visual impact on nearby residences.
“The design will ensure that the structures do not overlook or overshadow adjacent properties.
“The installation of temporary modular school buildings at Whittaker Street is essential to meet the current needs of the school while ensuring minimal disruption to the surrounding community.
A CGI view of main spaces clustered around a courtyard
“The surrounding area is predominantly residential, and the school shall be a key part of the local community.”
The site, which for decades housed Radcliffe Technical College, has been under consideration as the spot for a PRU for some time.
The report said the proposal has the potential to introduce more greenery to the site, ‘improving the view from the surrounding houses’. The site is not in a conservation area or designated flood zone.
The plans will be considered in the coming weeks.