Proposals to transform Blackburn with Darwen's secondary schools were given the final go ahead by the Council's Executive Board.

Councillors voted in favour of plans to build, remodel and relocate eight of the borough's high schools between 2010 and 2016 as part of Building Schools for the Future (BSF). They approved the Blakewater College and Tauheedul Islamic girls high school subject to planning permission being granted, acquisition of the site and access to it and necessary agreements being approved, including the private finance contract.

-- Advertisement --

The Council can now go ahead with putting together an outline business case showing how the programme will be delivered to secure anticipated funding of £150m for the project. This is due to be submitted to the government at the end of March.

The decision follows a year of extensive consultation with school staff, parents, governors, pupils and the wider community about proposed changes to the existing school structure.

Councillor Chris Thayne, executive member for children’s services, said: "We have given careful consideration to all the views expressed in response to the consultation and looked at all the reasons behind each of the proposals.

"We feel these proposals offer us the best opportunity to develop school sites in a way that will benefit the whole community and contribute to the regeneration of the borough.

"We are very excited now to be able to move on to the next, important stage of the programme, to set out in detail how we will deliver the new and remodelled schools, and to secure the funding we need to achieve it."

(CD)