PLANS for a small housing development on the site of an historic school have been given the goahead.

Councillors, who had turned down the proposals for the Scot Lane Primary School site in Blackrod late last year, voted unanimously to approve the new plans, which will see five homes built on the site.

Residents were initially concerned about access onto Manchester Road and height of some of the properties in relation to others on Scot Lane End.

Acremoss Designs, the developer behind the scheme, agreed to have access to one of the properties from within the development site as opposed to Manchester Road and to lower the floor levels of three properties by 25cm.

Cllr Ray Barrow, who represents Blackrod, said he was pleased the developer had listened to the concerns of residents and the planning committee.

He added: “The developer has done as much as he can to do everything we have asked of him and I am more than happy to approve it.”

Speaking after the meeting, Bob Collier, from Acremoss Designs, said he was pleased with the decision.

He added: “We have had five meetings with the residents and addressed all the concerns they had. I don’t think they were against us, they were disappointed the school had closed.”

Scot Lane Primary, parts of which date back to 1868, closed its doors in August, 2008, because of falling pupil numbers.

Neighbours criticised the Manchester Diocese, which owned the building, for selling it for housing, and not consulting with the community for other uses.

A spokesman for the Manchester Diocese said: “The school has been closed permanently and as a charity we have a legal responsibility to sell the land at the market value, or at the direction of the charity commissioner when assets can no longer deliver their charitable objectives.”