BLACKBURN with Darwen’s Building Schools for the Future programme has already had a far longer gestation period than any animal (including the 22 months of an elephant).

It’s been an extremely troubled one too.

Millions of pounds have already been spent or committed under the £210m scheme which will be the biggest single education shake-up in the area’s history affecting every one of the borough’s secondary schools.

In March this year the council had to shave 25% off the final phase to bring down the budget down to £31m on the orders of the coalition government.

But that was a comparatively small price to pay.

Bolton and a number of other councils around the country saw their projects totally aborted by the Cameron cabinet on cost-saving grounds.

The sheer volume of upheaval involved in the BSF scheme meant some objections were inevitable.

And it’s easy to sympathise with the pride of those who don’t want Beardwood to disappear in the reorganisation.

But the whole project is too far along the road – and interconnected like a line of dominoes – to be be thrown into jeopardy.

Sadly perhaps this looks like a case where a minority might have to lose out for the greater good of the majority.