'Children failed' after call for new school rejected

Lancashire County Council has repeatedly failed children in part of Preston, a father campaigning for a new secondary school to be built in the area has said.

Stuart Finch is among those raising concerns after having children and realising that while a large house-building project continues in Cottam, there is no local secondary education provision.

The nearest high schools are in Ashton-on-Ribble - more than three miles (nearly 5km) away - or in the city centre.

Finch is now calling on the council to rethink plans for a school on land off Sandy Lane after they were pushed back to at least 2031. The council has previously announced it would be increasing places at two other Preston schools.

A school on the Sandy Lane site has long been talked about.

The land has been earmarked since 2022 when the previous Conservative administration included it as part of a housing development that has yet to be built.

When Reform UK took control of the county council, there were hopes that a new school would be built.

But it has decided that there was not enough demand for school places.

The cabinet member for education, Matthew Salter, said: "You cannot set up a new secondary school unless you've got at least four forms of entry of children to go into that school.

"If you were to do that, you'd be setting up a school that is non-viable or putting unsustainable pressure on schools in the surrounding area."

Finch said he disagreed with the figures used by the council when reaching its decision.

"When I've had a Freedom of Information request put through they're basing their figures on physical room space, not the pupil admission figures."

Preston is set to gain 5,500 new homes across a 20-year period – more than half of which have already been built.

Finch said: "I've not got a problem with the houses, but what should come alongside the houses is the infrastructure, the schools, the doctors.

"You can't expect 5,000 new families to move into an area and not have anywhere to go to the shop or go to school.

"The parents that I speak to at the school gate are looking at moving out of the area or making life-changing decisions because what they were promised isn't here."

His frustration is shared by Liberal Democrat leader John Potter, who has himself long campaigned for a new school for the site.

He said: "Just think about some of those residents who have spent vast amounts of money buying new houses under the promise they would get a school nearby and they have completely and utterly been betrayed by both the Conservatives and now Reform."

Lancashire County Council has been approached for further comment.

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