Opening of new 900-pupil secondary school delayed for at least a year

The opening of a new 900-capacity high school in Bolton will be delayed by at least a year.

Kings Leadership Academy was granted planning permission in February last year to be built close to the Great Lever and Farnworth golf course.

The free school opened in September 2019 and is currently operating at a temporary site at Lever Edge Lane as staff and students await the completion of the new buildings.

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But it has emerged the launch of the new school near Freshfield Avenue has been hit by construction delays.

Letters sent to nearby residents to the temporary school state that Kings Academy are to submit a planning application for a new building so that they can receive a fourth intake of students in the autumn.

The letter said: “A planning application is shortly to be submitted to the council to provide additional accommodation for a fourth year intake of pupils.

“The Department for Education are planning to build a new purpose built secondary school in Bolton run by the Great Schools Trust.

“However, due to delays in the construction process and to meet the existing educational need, the temporary school at Lever edge lane will be required for a further academic year from September 2022 to July 2023.

“The existing school buildings will be retained on the site for a further 12 months and an additional teaching block is proposed for the fourth year intake of pupils who are due to join the school in September 2022.”

At the time when plans for the school were approved, Bolton Council highlighted the need for additional school places.

They said: “The new campus will enable the school to deliver a high quality education