A SPECIAL school for children with autism hailed as ‘marvellous’ by councillors is to be built on the green belt in Saddleworth.

Oldham’s planning committee has given the go-ahead to the plans for the new school, on land off Friezland Lane in the village of Greenfield.

The school building would be a single-storey ‘U’ shape, and cater for up to 15 pupils.

However the site is also located within the green belt, which under planning law constitutes "inappropriate development".

It would also sit just 15 metres away from the Grade II-listed Springfield Farm and barn.

But planners argued that there were "very special circumstances" for recommending approval.

Planning officer Graham Dickman told the meeting of the committee: “It’s historically part of a former farm; there are some stables on site, some of which have previously been demolished.

“Just to the east of the site there are a block of listed buildings which are also screened from the site.

“Although it’s bigger than the building that was currently there, there are other larger buildings on the site previously so there has been some historic presence of larger structures.

“It’s a specific school for children with autism, it’s meeting a need in the area.”

"Plenty of improvement work" needs to be done to the access route, but it is considered "adequate" for the scale of the new school, he added.

In a statement from the applicant, Bright Futures School, Zoe Thompson said the school was originally set up by parents in 2010.

“Bright Futures School is now at capacity, with 12 pupils and is in temporary premises whilst they wait for their new school to be built in Greenfield,” she wrote.

“The biggest threat to the school’s future has always been security of tenure, so the new purpose-built school is a significant step forward in securing the school’s future.”

The school currently employs 15 staff to look after the 12 pupils.

The children are mainly taught on a one-to-one basis, and the pupil age ranges from five to 16.

Saddleworth Parish Council had supported the application, stating: “We recognise that this site is in the green belt and consider this application to be an exceptional case.”

Moving that the application be approved, Saddleworth South Cllr John Hudson said: “I think this is marvellous.

“I think that the man who owns the land should be congratulated that he’s offered this for a school for autism when we could have expected loads of fancy houses on this site.

“I think it’s great for the metropolitan borough of Oldham that we get applications like this, which are very necessary and very needed.

“I’m pleased to represent this area and I’ll be pleased to have this school built on this site.”

Failsworth West Cllr Peter Davis added: “It gives me pleasure to second that because – what a beautiful place this is going to be.”

It was approved unanimously by the planning committee.