New school would be one of biggest in the country

THE biggest primary school in Manchester is set to get the go-ahead today in a bid to cope with a suburban baby boom.

A huge 1,000-pupil Didsbury superschool would be created by expanding Beaver Road primary onto a second site.

The existing school – off School Lane – has applied to open another campus on Wilmslow Road, at Manchester Metropolitan University’s former campus.

That would take its numbers to 1,050 – making it one of the country’s biggest primaries.

Younger pupils would remain in the existing school, while older children – in years 4, 5 and 6 – would move to the new one, 500m away.

Around 450 pupils would be based at the new site, with a proposed ‘walking bus’ taking children between the two, via Didsbury Park.

Proposals for the second campus, going before planners today, were met by more than 20 objections – but they were outnumbered two-to-one by letters of support.

Those backing the school say it will be a ‘vital community asset,’ help community cohesion and add a non-faith primary school to the area.

Objectors – including Didsbury Civic Society – warn it could impact a conservation area, cause traffic ‘chaos’ and create an ‘over-supply’ of school places.

Local councillor John Leech called for traffic cameras and ‘no stopping’ red lines on Wilmslow Road to protect children.

Council highways officers admit ‘it is likely there will be a notable increase in delays and queuing on the network,’ but say the impact will be limited to certain hours of the day and confirm new traffic ‘no stopping’ signs would be introduced. Planning officials say the impact on the conservation area will be less than substantial.

MMU’s campus has long been earmarked for a new primary school and had already been given outline permission for one in 2015. Since then plans have been developed further – and government money has been released for a formal second site to Beaver Road.

It comes as demand for school places in south Manchester has boomed in recent years, leaving many primaries having to extend into temporary buildings. Beaver Road received almost four times more applications than places in September, with 356 pupils going for just 90 places.

Officers say the school ‘responds to a growing demand and need for school places.’