PLANS are underway to bring a new “educational facility” to the site of the former University Technical College (UTC) in Burnley.

The ill-fated £10.3million college, which offered training in construction and engineering, closed earlier this year due to low student numbers.

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It is hoped the new centre will be open in time for the new academic year.

Julie Cooper, MP for Burnley, said more details on the proposals will be revealed in the spring.

She said: “I am pleased to be able to say that the UTC building will continue to be used for educational purposes and will be up and running by the start of the new academic year.

“I am working with the Department for Education (DfE) to confirm the details of the new provision.” Burnley Council leader Cllr Mark Townsend said they were ‘some months away from a final decision being taken’.

“There are a number of organisations interested in that facility and they all have a different outlook about how it would be used,” he said.

“We see it as an educational establishment of some form going forward. We certainly see it as having a long-term future.

“We will be looking at the most innovative proposal.”

He said the old UTC is not appropriate for a standard educational facility as there are no playing fields. “Having said that there might be people who can see how they these issues can be overcome. It can’t be ruled out,” he added.

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) said although the future of the building will be determined by the DfE, they are working with the council and is “happy to help them make the best use of the facilities”.

“The university is strongly committed to the development of higher and apprenticeship education in Burnley, working with all strategic partners,” a spokesman said.

Cllr Gordon Birtwhistle said: “It needs to be used for what it was built for - training for people to go into engineering and manufacturing. If it was used for that I would welcome it.”

Earlier this year the Department for Education approved plans to open a new alternative provision free school in the town in 2017.