A MULTI-MILLION pound academy could now be built on land next to West Cheshire College if the scheme gets the go-ahead.

Originally the proposed state-of-the-art facility was earmarked for the Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts’ site.

But land adjacent to the Regent Street campus – formerly owned by supermarket giant Morrisons – has now emerged as a potential site.

Cheshire County Council says it is “investigating the possibility” of building the academy there, although the EPSSPA site remains an option. The move comes as a result of feedback during the consultation period from parents, staff and governors of Cheshire Oaks High who are keen to have a more “central” academy location between the two high schools.

Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Derek Bateman, says the new proposed site is likely to get the green light and would please most people affected by the £35m scheme.

He said: “This would be a brand new start in a brand new state-of-the-art academy giving all our young people across the town the first rate secondary education they deserve in the 21st century. EPPSPA and Cheshire Oaks High would close once the new academy was built and there would be no disruption on either schools’ site whilst the academy was being constructed which was a major concern expressed by parents at the recent consultations at both schools.”

High-profile opposition to the academy plan has come in the form of pressure group Keep Ellesmere Port Schools (KeEPS), which consists of members of the West Cheshire teaching union and parents.

They have been against academies since the original scheme involving Whitby High was first unveiled last year.