A NEW multi-million-pound school campus is a step closer to being built after the former Habergham High School was demolished.

The razing of the Byron Street building in Burnley will allow for a three-storey free school development to get under way.

Councillors approved the demolition of the building this year, despite concerns mounting about the stability of the site, sinceconcrete under the old school covering a mine shaft was discovered to be deteriorating.

The new building will be home to Burnley High School, which is currently based at Parkhill Business Park, and will have space for up to 650 pupils, with provision for a sixth form.

Liberal Democrat councillor Charlie Briggs, who represents Gannow and sits on the school’s board of governors, said the school’s demolition has changed the skyline, bringing with it a feeling of nostalgia.

“I have been passing that school every day and some of the views that can now be seen have not been seen for decades,” he said.

“We are well under way and people think that it’s fantastic, from what I have heard in the streets,” he added.

“The school will boost attainment definitely. More and more kids are trying to get in there and are having to be turned away.

“Next year, when the new school opens, we can take more and it will be fantastic.”

The school, which is run by the Chapel Street family of schools, opened with 33 pupils and is due to grow by around 90 students next month.

School bosses are hoping to move to the permanent site in September 2016.

A government grant is expected to be used to build the new school, which was shown off in a series of artists’ impressions at a public consultation in June.

Paul Thomas, from Burnley High School, said: “We have entered pre-planning discussions with the council about the new school buildings and this meeting was a chance for people to see what we have in mind for the new building.

“The exhibition showed the design off to parents and prospective parents and we were absolutely delighted with the comments we got.”

The school, run by the charitable Chapel Street Trust, also disclosed plans for its 33 current pupils to use sport and technology facilities at the University Technical College in Trafalgar Street.