Trafford Council has abandoned plans to expand Altrincham College, shelving a project that would have created 300 additional secondary school places per year to help address the ongoing shortage in the area.
The decision comes after escalating costs pushed the expansion scheme to £22 million - equivalent to £73,000 per school place, nearly three times the Department for Education's benchmark average of £27,000 per place.
The troubled project faced multiple setbacks since its original conception in 2022. Sport England initially objected to the plans, forcing a costly redesign due to Green Belt considerations. Further complications arose when the appointed contractor entered administration in September, causing additional delays and cost overruns.
Despite government grants of £23,000 per school place being available, the significant cost escalation has made the project financially unviable for the cash-strapped council.
The local authority has however secured £5 million in Department for Education funding to create 15 additional places per year group at Sale High School, available from September as a permanent addition.
The council is also in ongoing discussions to expand North Cestrian School in Altrincham, which officials believe could offer better value for money.
Councillor Carter, Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People, acknowledged the disappointment the decision would cause.
"We have fantastic schools in Trafford, and are very proud of them," she said. "However, we cannot add school places at any price. There has to be value for money for residents."
Carter said the council would "look to revisit these plans in future in line with planned developments in Davenport Green" and thanked Altrincham College for their collaborative approach throughout the process.
Connor Rand, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, said that while the move was "disappointing", he supported the council's decision to prioritise cost-effective solutions.
"In the light of huge cuts to Trafford Council's budget in recent years and the financial position this has left the council in, it's right that they should prioritise delivering school places where they are most needed and can be provided in a cost-effective way," Rand said.
The MP said that expanding North Cestrian School should now be the focus, promising to "push for it at every opportunity" and support the effort "however I can."
Rand acknowledged the ongoing challenge facing local families, noting he has been "actively supporting parents this year who have been impacted by a lack of secondary places locally." He described the school place shortage as "a long-standing issue" and expressed determination to "solve this problem for good."
Trafford Council also sought to highlight its track record in increasing school capacity, having supported three successful bids to expand grammar school places by 460 and backing the expansion of Blessed Thomas Holford School by 400 places in 2021.
Altrincham College had received planning approval in September 2024 for an 11-classroom extension that would have increased capacity from 900 to 1,200 students. The approved plans included a two and three-storey building with additional facilities including a larger kitchen, restaurant, and car parking.
The council's Executive will formally consider the report recommending the pause at their meeting on June 16.
