Trafford Council has confirmed it is progressing the purchase of the former Loreto Prep site on Dunham Road - a move that would allow North Cestrian School to expand by up to 300 places.
The acquisition is going ahead subject to due diligence, the council has confirmed, with the deal set to be funded through a capital grant from the Department for Education.
It marks the latest step in a long-running effort to secure extra secondary school places in Altrincham, where demand has far outstripped supply for several years. North Cestrian received over 1,500 applications for just 165 places in a recent admissions cycle, with around 60 families each year failing to secure a local school place and having to travel elsewhere in Trafford.
The three-acre Dunham Road site became available after Loreto Prep - an independent Catholic primary school established in 1909 - closed in July 2023.
Its trustees, the Loreto Sisters, cited declining pupil numbers and what they described as "unprecedented financial challenges" stemming partly from the pandemic and the wider economic climate. Around 120 children aged three to 11 had been attending the school, where fees stood at £2,750 per term.
Fears quickly emerged that the valuable town-centre site could be sold for residential development. A parent-led campaign, spearheaded by North Cestrian parents and backed by over 1,300 petition signatures, pushed Trafford Council and the Department for Education to fund North Cestrian's bid to buy the site instead.
A key early victory came in February 2024 when the site was successfully listed as an Asset of Community Value - essentially a delaying tactic preventing it from being quickly sold off for housing. Soon after, however, the site was renamed the Loreto Education Centre.
Trafford Council's Executive then formally agreed to pursue the purchase in spring 2024, with an estimated project cost of around £9m.
The council has described it as "a once in a generation opportunity" to acquire a site that meets Trafford's needs, noting there is very limited land available in the south of the borough and no viable alternative sites for school expansion.
Expanding onto the Loreto site would allow North Cestrian to grow from five to seven forms of entry, adding two classes per year group and up to 300 places in total.
The school's headteacher has previously said that the expansion could also bring improvements to playground space, sports pitches and car parking.
Cllr Karina Carter, Trafford's Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People, said: "I am pleased that we are progressing with our intention to ultimately provide more school places for families in Altrincham. An early step in this process is to acquire the necessary land for expansion and negotiations are moving forward."
The acquisition remains subject to planning permission for any building works, and the council said a timetable for delivery would be set out in due course.
