The Cabinet of Bury Council decided to approve the use of the Milton Road site for the new Ash Grove Alternative Provision Academy, approve the current designs for submission for full planning approval, approve the funding strategy for £17m, and delegate spending authority to the Executive Director of Place in conjunction with the Director of Law and Governance. The decision was made on 14 October 2026. The Cabinet also approved the procurement strategy approach for engaging a suitable contractor/consultant team.