A planning application to redevelop a high school is to be submitted before the end of the month.

Proposals for the transformation of Whitworth Community High School are expected to be handed to Rossendale Borough Council by developers, Wates Construction.

The firm say they will be building a new main school building which will measure approximately 5,000sqm, with the old buildings to be demolished, with the exception of the existing sports hall which will remain in situ.

The new main school building will be part two storeys, part two and a half storeys, and part three storeys high.

The redevelopment work is to be funded by the Department for Education as part of their School Rebuilding Programme, and will also help improve the condition of some of the existing school buildings.

Whitworth High School could be getting a makeover

Whitworth High School could be getting a makeover

A spokesperson for the high school said: "The older buildings will only be demolished once the new building has been brought into use.

"The new main school building will be set within a new landscaped setting, and the car parking will also be relocated within the site.

"There will be no change to staff and pupil numbers and the school will remain fully operational during the build process, without the need for any temporary teaching accommodation."

Wates is a national construction company with lots of experience of building schools and was selected by the Department for Education to design and build the new building.

The development proposals can be viewed online and the Wates design team can be contacted if anyone has any queries or comments.

Wates will be submitting the planning application to Rossendale Borough Council at the end of April.

Once the application has been submitted it will be available to view and comment on online via Rossendale Borough Council’s planning portal: publicaccess.rossendale.gov.uk/online-applications/

Subject to achieving planning permission, construction will start on site in September.

Completion of the new building is expected by the end of 2022, with the remaining works (building demolition etc.) due to be completed by the beginning of 2024.

Email the design team at: whitworthhigh.uk@avisonyoung.com

Questions or comments to be emailed no later than April 20.