Health centre hope for former Saddleworth School suffers setback

THE FORMER site of Saddleworth School appears to have been ruled out as the location of a much-discussed health centre.

An architect was commissioned to draw up two proposals for a facility, at where the establishment was based in Uppermill and at the current leisure centre.

But in a response to a public question, Cllr Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, seemingly said the former will not see what many say is needed in the area.

Answering Valerie Leach, she said: “The former Saddleworth School site is earmarked for housing development as a council-owned site in our medium-term housing land supply.

“Officers have been addressing negotiations over the relocation of a telecoms mast on the site until recently, and the site could not come forward for development until that matter was concluded.

“Now that matter is resolved, the housing delivery team will be looking to bring the site to market in the near future.

“However, developing a site for housing is not a quick process, bearing in mind land deals need to be negotiated and planning permission sought before a spade can even be put in the ground.

“As such, it will be at least two years before we see the first home completed on the site.”

That response raised eyebrows from Saddleworth’s Liberal Democrat councillors, who say a viability assessment for using it for a new health centre is ongoing.

Saddleworth West and Lees’ Cllr Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It’s incredibly frustrating to have officers do the work – and for the council to be spending money on this study – and for the cabinet member to then announce that the site is going to be coming forward as housing before they’ve finished the study.

“We want any decision on the location for the health centre and the use of the former school site to be based on the facts.

“Now we seem not to have a choice about the matter.

“The Labour administration appear to be just bulldozing through their plan to put homes on the site, regardless of whether it is the best option for the community.”