A VILLAGE divided over plans for a new £4.35million school could be reunited if a community project gets off the ground.

Residents in Laneshawbridge clashed over plans for the new primary before Lancashire County Council’s planning committee gave the project the go-ahead earlier this year.

Now campaigners are aiming to reinstate harmony by encouraging villagers to join forces in a project to convert to Methodist Chapel to a community hub.

They are hoping BBC One’s Village SOS show will be able to provide some much-needed funds for the project.

But first, villagers will be able to suggest ways of using the centre to inject community spirit at a meeting called The Future of Laneshawbridge, to be held next week.

Parish council chairman Anne Constable said: “It’s well known there has been some animosity in the village over the new school, but this is our chance to draw a line under all that.

“We must move forward together to improve the village for current and future generations.

“We’re urging every resident, business and group to get involved in whatever way they feel able.”

Paul White, a borough and parish councillor, said he had been in talks with representatives at the chapel to explore ways of making better use of the building in the future.

So far, he said suggestions had included setting up a shop, tearooms, allotments, internet cafe and an area for clubs and societies within the community hub.

Coun White said: “This is an incredibly exciting and huge project, and a chance for the whole village to be inspired and get involved.

“We’ve seen all to often the decline of services and rural communities and this is our one chance to change it.

“We must grasp this chance and do all we can to get the project off the ground.”

The meeting will take place at the Methodist Chapel, at 7.30pm on Tuesday (27).