Six footpaths are set to be closed and two others diverted as part of the development of a new high school for Stoke-on-Trent.

The Florence MacWilliams Academy is earmarked for land previously part of Longton High School and the former Meir Sports and Social Club.

Stoke-on-Trent CIty Council granted planning permission for the school to be built at the end of 2023. But a further meeting has now taken place to deal with the future of a number of footpaths on the land at Weston Road in Meir.

A report to Tuesday's Public Rights of Way Panel said: "The development will affect multiple rights of way that cross the site. These are popular with local residents but are not easily accessible in poor weather.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council granted permission for the new school to be built at the end of 2023 (Florence MacWilliams Academy).

"After lengthy discussions with the developer and representatives of affected user groups it was proposed that six footpaths would require wholly or partially extinguishing and two would be diverted around the perimeter of the site. It is this proposal that the developer has now requested the council to progress.

"The paths that are to be extinguished pass over the site and would be obstructed by the development. The expedient process would be to permanently close them to public use.

"The paths to be diverted will provide connectivity to the remaining wider rights of way network. They will also benefit from surface improvements so they are accessible to the wider community in all but the worst of weather, so contributing to the health of the local community and would provide a more sustainable option for pupils to attend the school than short car journeys."

Two other footpaths will be diverted around the perimeter of the site (Image via planning application).

The report added that the proposal was supported by the Peak and Northern Footpath Society and the councillor Longton and Meir Hay South had expressed no concerns. Members of the council's Public Rights of Way panel backed the changes at their meeting this week, but highlighted that nearby residents would lose a number of short cuts, including one to the south east of the site that is located on land earmarked for a pick up and drop off area for the new school.

Councillor Andy Platt, who chaired the panel hearing on Tuesday, said: "There are a lot of rights of way crossing over the site and some have to be diverted. There is not much of a loss but it will obviously affect some people.

"I think there is a concern about it amongst members, but for people closer to it there are no concerns and I think it would be a bit awkward for us to go against that. We accept it reluctantly but we record our concerns."

Councillor Laura Carter said: "There is only so much we can do with a development on the site. There is going to be an impact, but then again what we are going to have as a city is great."

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