A NEW £5.4m Burnley free school could open next year after plans were approved by council chiefs.

The Heights Burnley will provide education for around 150 pupils aged five to 16 who have found it difficult in mainstream schools.

It will be built on the former Ridgewood School site which was wrecked by a fire five years ago after standing empty since 2009 and will bring 60 jobs.

Council planning officers passed the scheme on the site off Burleigh Street.

The proposed design includes a two-storey school with an assembly hall, a dining hall, a drama studio, Key Stage two, three and four classrooms, a construction and catering room and a hair and beauty room.

The free school was approved by the Education Secretary in September and will form part of the Education Partnership Trust (EPT) which is a not-for-profit multi-academy trust.

It also sponsors The Heights Free School, Eden School and Pleckgate High in Blackburn and Coal Clough Academy in Burnley.

On the Heights website bosses say their ‘vision is to deliver outstanding education enabling pupils to develop confidence, resilience and employability so they are able to achieve their potential’.

Leader of Burnley Council Mark Townsend said: “This is a good thing for the area, it is another important step to bring this school into a reality which will overall improve the overall education standards in Burnley.

“I always welcome investment in education. It is important as the education standards are not high enough in Burnley and this is a positive move to help people who need it most.”

The planning report said: “The previous Ridgewood Community High school was destroyed in an arson attack in 2013 after being plagued by vandalism for years.

“All that remains of the old school are the concrete ground slabs of the building, a functioning sub-station and various hard landscaping elements such as car parking areas and hard play spaces.

“The site boundary is partially secured but unkempt resulting in general overgrowth and dilapidation."

Cllr Shah Hussain, who represents the Daneshouse with Stoneyholme where the proposed school is, said: “It is good to see a new development taking place to bring the area back into use.

“This is an alternative school which could bring different types of pupils – some that are not suitable for mainstream education.

“It is great to have new facilities and equipment and the pupils will hopefully flourish there.”