FURTHER to the comments about the sell-off of the site of the former Darwen moorland High School, the Secretary of State has to give permission for the land to be transferred from educational use before anything can happen.

Anyone who could foresee in 2005 what his decision would be in 2013 or 2014 must have had an amazing crystal ball!

Quite a bit of the site is in green-belt/protected open space so it is highly unlikely that this part of the site will be developed for other than agricultural or leisure related use (eg football pitches).

The actual school buildings have never been in green-belt so a great use of this part of the site would be for housing – preferably social housing as there is a great need for more three-bed and four-bed homes for rent or part rent/part buy.

And in reply to Jack Preston’s letter, the council cannot do anything with the site until the Secretary of State decides if the land can be deemed ‘surplus’ to educational use.

It’s highly unlikely that all of the site can obtain building consent.

If the Secretary of State (Michael Gove) stipulates that the educational use must be maintained, then the council cannot sell the site at all.

english rose 1 (via website).