COUNCIL chiefs are being asked to back funding for a scheme to turn a grade-II listed former school into high quality housing.

A proposal will go before Burnley Council’s executive next week asking senior council figures to accept a grant of £200,000 from the Homes England Community Housing Fund to progress the Woodtop School housing development.

Head of housing and development, Paul Gatrell said: “The council owned Woodtop School site has been identified for residential development and is a key component of neighbourhood regeneration in South West Burnley.

“By working in partnership with Calico Homes and the local community we can use inward investment from Homes England to help achieve our objective of utilising the historic grade II listed building to provide modern high-quality homes.

“The proposed development will make a significant contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the South West Burnley and address the current negative impact that the derelict building has on the wider community.

“Woodtop School is a grade-II listed building that will require significant funds to renovate to the required heritage standard.

“Calico has ambitious plans to invest in new residential accommodation in the borough and have been working in partnership with the Council over recent months to bring forward a proposal for the land and building.

“A decision was taken at the Executive meeting in March this year to dispose of the site to Calico Homes to facilitate its development and Calico are potentially looking to invest a significant sum to facilitate the development and their preliminary appraisal shows that Homes England funding will be required to fund the shortfall and ensure that the scheme is viable.”

Bosses say the former school building, which closed in 2000 after more than 130 years, is in dire need of repair and Calico Homes will be working in partnership with the council and the local community to decide how to utilise the premises to provide maximum benefit to the area.

The grade-II listed building was bought by Burnley Council in 2009 but has remained empty since.

Calico Homes say they will be working closely with the council, Historic England and the community to ensure this historic building can be brought back into use.

Wendy Malone, assistant director of growth and development at Calico Homes, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for Calico and the council to work closely with the local community to make a real difference in Burnley.”

Mr Gatrell added: "To allow us to have meaningful engagement with the community and progress the development the council, working with Calico, prepared a bid to the Homes England Community Housing Fund.

"The intention being to secure grant to fund work with the local community involving local people in the design process and management of the scheme once it has reached completion.

"The funding bid also included works to progress the development with regards to survey work and professional fees to progress the scheme towards the submission of a planning application.

"Homes England have confirmed that the Council’s grant application has been successful, and we have been awarded funding of up to £200,000 to progress the scheme in

partnership with Calico and the community.

"In order to facilitate the drawdown of the grant award the Council is required to enter into a funding agreement setting out the terms and conditions of the funding.

"It is a requirement that the funding is spent by March 2020."