Plans for £14m school to be revealed early next year

WORK UNDER WAY ON DESIGNS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS BUILDING AS PARENTS REASSURED OVER DISRUPTION

PLANS for a £14m school to accommodate 200 children with special educational needs will be submitted early next year.

The facility will be used by pupils of Lisburne School in Stockport, who will move into the new-build once completed, although its location is yet to be decided.

Coun Dean Fitzpatrick, cabinet member for education, said work was under way to have drawings submitted to the town hall in the coming months.

He added: “We’d like to reassure parents and staff at the existing Lisburne School building that they will not be disrupted at all as a result of their new building.

“We realise that this can cause worry and concern and along with the school, we want to assure everyone that we have the children’s best interests at heart as we move forward with Lisburne’s new building.” In April, Coun Fitzpatrick announced plans to build the school amid rising demand for places for children with special needs and disabilities. There were fears that more than 30 pupils from Stockport that were due to go into reception class in September would not have a place. To meet demand a number of those pupils were sent to independent schools as an alternative but town hall chiefs said that would not be a sustainable option as transporting children to those schools ‘isn’t cheap.’ A town hall statement said: “The existing school will remain in its current location whilst the new and expanded school is built, following which pupils and staff will decant into their new building at an alternative site, subject to consultation.” Coun Dean Fitzpatrick