THE building of a new secondary school in Littleport could begin in less than five years, county councillor Fred Brown has confirmed this week.

Cllr Brown has been attending meetings to discuss a location for the new school - and he is adamant that it should be built alongside the town’s leisure centre.

The Littleport Masterplan had already earmarked a preferred site near the leisure centre for the school - but the Environment Agency have raised concerns about that land being on a flood plain.

“If it were not for the Dutch, we would all be swimming,” pointed out Cllr Brown. ““All land in Littleport is within a foot of being on a flood plain.”

“I have been attending meetings to discuss the location of the school. Officers have said it should be in Parsons Lane, then why did the county council sell the site they had there?

“It makes sense to have the leisure centre next to the secondary school; it would enhance what we have got, there is plenty of land available, there is 20 or 30 hectares of land available.” Another possible site for the school has been identified, on land just off the by-pass.

He added: Cllr Brown is due to attend another meeting during July to further discuss siting for the school, when paperwork needs to be produced to show that the proposed leisure centre site has never flooded.

He added: “A secondary school for Littleport is definitely on the cards. I hope it will be for children from Littleport and Little Downham. That would free up places at the Ely Community College.

“In my view we need a sustainable school on a site that suits everybody and adds to the village itself; that means being adjacent to the leisure centre. “