Blackburn schools project enters 'exciting final phase' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn schools project enters 'exciting final phase'

10:00am Saturday 18th February 2012 in Darwen By Nafeesa Shan, Reporter

THE last phase of a major schools shakeup is getting underway.

Artists impressions of the new look St Bede’s RC High School have been released and a planning application has been submitted for a scaled down transformation of Our Lady’s and St John’s Catholic Arts College.

The Blackburn schools are being redeveloped under Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Building Schools for the Future, BSF, scheme.

And as part of the final wave of the programme, works will start at St Bede’s RC High School, Livesey Branch Road, this summer and the school will be completed in 2013.

Some of the school will be demolished and existing parts of the building will be refurbished, while other areas will be completely rebuilt.

New features will include all-new IT suites and science labs, landscaped grounds, new dining facilities and contemporary design outside and inside the school.

While planning approval is being sought for the demolition of two 1950s buildings, the creation of a new three-storey building with an assembly hall, new sports facility, gym and changing rooms.

Pupils from the school will move onto the Blakewater College site in Shadsworth Road. Students from Blakewater College will have moved to the new Blackburn Central High School, Haslingden Road.

The last phases of the scheme had to be scaled back by £10million after the government cut funding for BSF projects across the country.

St Bede’s headteacher Des Callaghan said: “This is our first sneak peek of how our school will look in 2013, and it is very exciting. We are all looking forward to the building and remodelling work getting started this year.

“St Bede’s is going to be a fantastic looking, modern school which will keep some of the great original features and will give both students and staff an even greater opportunity to build on our continued success.”

Coun Maureen Bateson said Our Lady and St John's has an ‘exciting future’.

She said: "Despite the government cutbacks we have had to the programme, the council has worked with the schools and our construction partner to minimise the impact of this £10m loss.

"We have managed to come up with a plan that will still see the remodel and partial rebuild of the school. This will let the school keep its best existing qualities and will add modern new features to give students and staff the best facilities possible when the new school opens."