AN academy trust has welcomed the approval by councillors of the relocation of a Blackburn special school to 'a beautiful location' in Darwen.

The £2million of Crosshill School from the Blackburn Central High School to the vacant Sunnyhurst Centre will provide extra places at both institutions.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive board on Thursday rubber stamped the plan.

It agreed to provide £380,000 for the refurbishment of the Sunnyhurst Centre.

Crosshill now has 72 pupils and hopes to increase the number to 92 by September this year and to 102 by September 2022.

Diane Atkinson, trust leader at the Champion Education Trust which runs both schools, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council to provide a much needed provision for some of our most vulnerable young people with special educational needs in the borough.

"Crosshill is a successful 11 to19 school for students with an educational health care plan for moderate learning difficulties.

"The school also caters for students who have autistic spectrum disorder which is significantly impacting upon their ability to access the mainstream curriculum, along with students who have physical, visual and hearing difficulties.

"Demand for places is growing year on year and the school has outgrown its current location.

"Champion Education Trust has been searching for a solution to this growing issue for some time and were delighted when the council offered the Sunnyhurst site.

"The buildings sit in a beautiful location which we aim to refurbish and develop to create a much needed provision.

"The young people will have access to classrooms, therapy rooms, a gym, dining hall and sixth form block.

"It will be a provision developed around their needs.

"These young people and their families deserve the best and it is our aim that together Champion Education Trust and the council will provide this."

The move will also provide an extra 100 places at Blackburn Central High School.

Thursday's meeting also approved an initial £550,000 towards the £2.1m school expansion of Lammack Community Primary School and a £660,000 scheme to relocate Longshaw Nursery School to the nearby Longshaw Infants site.

Cllr Julie Gunn, Blackburn with Darwen Council's education boss, said: "The money is to help with out extended school provision and increasing demand for places in all age groups."

Blackburn Conservative Association's deputy chairman Mark Russell said: "We are pleased that these projects are going ahead because they are much needed."