Redrow [4]: Two sites touted for new Cheltenham school near Redrow Leckhampton site
Two greenfield sites in Leckhampton, Cheltenham, are believed to be under consideration for the new £30m primary through secondary school for pupils aged four to 16, which is expected to open in in September 2020. The location between Farm Lane and Leckhampton Lane is near land where Redrow has permission to build 377 homes. The other, between Up Hatherley Lane and Shurdington Road, is near the Northern Fields site earmarked for a £65m development by Miller Homes that is expected to create over 1,000 jobs and 350 houses. Leckhampton Fields has also not been ruled out.  

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Possible locations have been revealed for the new £30million school which is being planned for Cheltenham.

The new school would be an all-through school for primary and secondary pupils aged four to 16, and Gloucestershire County Council wants it to open in September 2020.

Cheltenham's Balcarras School announced this week it will team up with three other schools in the town to put a bid together to develop and run the project.

It is believed that two greenfield sites in Leckhampton and Up Hatherley are being considered for the new school.

And Gloucestershire Live understands the trust managing Marling School, in Stroud, is putting together a bid to compete with Balcarras to build Cheltenham's new school.

Where could the new school go?

South of Up Hatherley Lane

One location for the new school could be between Up Hatherley Lane and Shurdington Road, or between Farm Lane and Leckhampton Lane.

(Image: Google)

Redrow have won permission to build 377 homes on the land bounded by Leckhampton Lane and Farm Lane - despite a legal challenge by Leckhampton Green Land Action Group.

Leckhampton Fields

A second possible location for the new school is the Leckhampton Fields - between Shurdington Road and Church Road and off Kidnappers Lane.

(Image: Google.)

Developer Miller Homes plans to build 350 houses and to invest £65million to develop a patch of land off Shurdington Road, known as Northern Fields – creating more than 1,000 jobs in the process.

It is understood school planners at Gloucestershire County Council have not ruled out using Leckhampton Fields land for the new school.

Councillor Iain Dobie (LD, Leckhampton and Warden Hill), said he had no preference at this stage where the school should be, but he has concerns about the possible use of the Leckhampton Fields as there's not enough space or adequate roads.

He said: "What I want is for this new school to be located within easy reach of the community it will be serving.

"I welcome the proposal for a new school to serve the community. I want it to be in this area but the decision on where it's going to be located is going to be made by public authorities - the Department for Education and Gloucestershire County Council."

The Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, which manages Marling School, has confirmed its interest in bidding for the new school.

Dr Stuart Wilson, chief executive of the trust, said: "Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust has been taking a keen interest in developments in Cheltenham since the Local Authority announced the need for a new secondary and primary school.

"There is some uncertainty at the moment about the exact criteria and process for free school applications in Wave 13 but we hope that clear information will be available from the DfE shortly.

"In the meantime we have been discussing a potential bid for the primary and secondary schools; subject to trustees approval we would look to start formal consultation in the autumn."

Councillor Richard Boyles, Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people (C, Blakeney and Bream), said: “The council has a good track record for planning school places and we know we need more places in Cheltenham, ideally by 2020.

"Our preferred route is a government funded free school and the first step on this path would be for potential sponsors to develop bids for the school.

“No site has been selected and we’re asking for landowners to get in touch if they have any sites for consideration.”