New special school to be built on long established playing fields

A new special school for 60 children is set to be built on playing fields in Bury. The council has set out the plans for the school on part of the long-established Redvales recreation fields which will ‘provide specialist Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) facilities for children and young people aged 11-16 years’.

The land was designated as public open space. The council said that in order to demonstrate to the Department of Education that this does not represent a risk to delivery of the project, they have taken the necessary steps to release the public trust in the land.

Due to the number of objections to the public open space notices, a report was submitted to cabinet earlier this month to dispose of the land and that was approved. A report to go before the council cabinet next week states that Bury Council has committed to delivering a new special school, working in collaboration with the DfE and Oak Learning Partnership through the DfE free school programme. Historically, Bury has been served by two special schools, Millwood Primary Special School and Elms Bank High School.

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However, the council said Bury is seeing an increasing number of children and young people presenting with SEND requiring support. They have been forced to increase the number of expensive out of borough placements for children at private schools.

The report states the school will open in September 2026 and initially have 30 pupils. That will increase to 60 in September 2027.

The report said: “All of these pupils would otherwise have attended more expensive independent special schools.”

If planning permission is granted for the school it would take up around 30 per cent of the current