HUGE ‘VILLA’ IN SALFORD IS TO BE CONVERTED INTO GIRLS’ SCHOOL UNDER CONTROVERSIAL PLANS

A large Victorian ‘villa’ in Salford is to be converted into a girls’ secondary school for 125 pupils despite objections from neighbouring residents.

Alterations to the three-storey property in Broughton have been approved by the city’s planning and transportation regulatory panel.

Councillors approved extensions to the ground and first floor and work to make the current pitched roof flat along with the change of use to a new high school for girls.

The house which currently contains nine self-contained homes – five one-bed studio apartments, three two-bed flats – will have its main vehicle access on to Singleton Road with secondary access on Westfield Street.

The Me’or High School currently based at 18 Moor Lane in Salford, in the grounds of a synagogue, will now move to the new site.

Members of the panel were told the school currently employs 19 staff and will offer the full national curriculum.

“The proposal will allow the existing school to be relocated at 47 Singleton Road with the building extended and altered to meet its needs,” a report to the panel said.

“Expansion is anticipated to take place gradually over a three-year period. The building will be extended to the rear and converted to provide five classrooms, with 25 students per class.

“The anticipated total capacity of the school will be 125 students.”

Objectors to the scheme cited increased traffic on Westfield Road and the surrounding area which will lead to ‘access issues’ for nearby apartment blocks, safety concerns over speeding cars on Singleton Road, congestion, loss of parking for residents, and an increased likelihood of accidents as well as restricted access for emergency services and refuse trucks.

“Westfield Street is an extremely narrow street, incorrectly drawn and misrepresented on the plans,” one objector said. “It is only wide enough for one car to pass going one way.”

Others said cars using the staff park would not be able to turn around and that there will be a loss of housing stock in the area.

“The council should not be misled into thinking this is a small school,” another said. “This is a rapidly growing school caused by the political turmoil in the community which will continue to exclude more girls from existing well-equipped schools.”

However, Coun John Warmisham told the panel: “As someone who has lived in Broughton Park all my life and seen the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community, the need for Jewish schools is paramount.

“The way that [some people] behave and the way they are treated by the indigenous community is unacceptable. This is something which is desperately needed in the area.

“In Salford we have a proud history of supporting the Orthodox Jewish community.”