PLANS allowing Wirral Council to seek Government permission to sell the site off a former school for redevelopment look set to be approved today.
Rock Ferry High School closed its doors four years ago when it merged with Park High to form the University Academy of Birkenhead.
The council wants to sell the school buildings, which is says are “surplus to educational requirements”, and playing fields on Ravenswood Avenue.
Wirral’s ruling cabinet meets today, Thursday, and will be asked to approve a recommendation to ask the Secretary of State for Education to allow the site to be used for other purposes.
More than 2,500 people signed a petition calling for town hall bosses to rethink their plans and while part of the site is still expected to be redeveloped for housing, the former playing fields are set to be transferred to community ownership.
Rock Ferry High Resident’s Association, formed by local residents following a series of public meetings on the site’s future, aims to represent the views of residents at tonight’s meeting.
Alison Meehan, chair of the RFHRA, said: “We are pleased that the council had recognised the strength of feeling from the community towards the site's future which appears to have resulted in a willingness to look at retaining a part of the site and woodlands as green space.”
The council also plans to retain and refurbish Ravenswood, a Grade II listed building on the site.
The report to tonight’s cabinet says: “A number of considerations have been given to the Rock Ferry High site including the formation of a University Technical College but despite significant development work these could not be progressed.
“Other educational and departmental uses have also been explored.
"Since the school closure one of the detached buildings at the original house has been Grade-II listed as being of historical and architectural interest and which will have implications for any site redevelopments.
“The site has resulted in the council incurring very significant expenditure for building security and there are still significant running costs for the redundant site and maintaining the grounds.”
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