A SCHOOL may be expanded in order to meet demand for places.

Unity College in Burnley could be expanded by an extra 30 pupils in year seven from September 2021.

The proposed expansion at the college, at Towneley Holmes, will increase the number of year seven places from 240 to 270 in 2020 and a further 30 in 2021.

The initial expansion in places from September 2020 was agreed at a Lancashire County Council cabinet meeting held in August 2019.

The expansion will create an extra 150 places at the school within five years, which the previous report had proposed to be provided at Shuttleworth College.

The council will discuss the proposals on Thursday.

Edwina Grant the council's executive director for education and children's services, said: "One of our key responsibilities at the county council is making sure that there are enough school places to meet demand.

"We are constantly reviewing changing demographic factors to make sure that we have the right number of school places throughout the county, and we knew that there was a need for some additional secondary places in this part of the county.

"The two colleges are already providing the extra places that are needed on a temporary basis, and cabinet will consider the recommendation to provide the extra places permanently at Unity College only."

The current report recommends rescinding the decision that was made by the cabinet in August to permanently expand Shuttleworth College in Padiham by 30 year seven pupil places from September 2020.

Five potential locations had been investigated on the Shuttleworth College site to facilitate the expansion, however three of these sites are affected by the possible presence of protected species which would delay the programme past the date that the places are needed by.

The other two locations are affected by historic mine workings.