CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating news that playing fields at Peers School are not being sold to help fund the creation of Oxford's new academy.
A three-acre strip of playing fields at Peers School in Littlemore had looked like being sold to housing developers, raising millions for Oxfordshire County Council, which, as the education authority, owns the land.
But following strong local protests, the council's cabinet decided that the closure of Peers will not involve the sale of land after all.
It means a larger site is now available for the new academy, which will specialise in sports as well as mathematics and ICT. The academy will retain all the current playing fields.
County Hall says it has managed to reduce the cost of the project from £4.73m to £4.152m with some additional funding found.
Councillor Michael Waine, cabinet member for schools improvement, said councillors had listened to local residents' concerns about selling the land.
More money will be spent on Mabel Pritchard Special School, within the academy site, with the special school increased in size and to include a post-16 provision.
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