PLANS to create a 30-foot wind turbine at a school have inspired ideas for an ‘environmental classroom’.

The new £16.1 million Accrington Academy was approved in January – on condition that developers improve its green credentials.

The superschool in Queen’s Road West had included a wildlife pond in its design but Hyndburn Council said it must also produce 10 per cent of its own renewable energy.

Now a planning application has been submitted to site a wind turbine on the school grounds.

Headteacher Andrew Bateman said that if the appl-ication was successful, the school would base an out-door classroom around it.

He said: “It is a wonderful opportunity to teach children about renewable energy with an example of how it’s done on our very doorstep.

“We also have plans to incorporate a wild flower meadow near the reedbed area to encourage a plethora of wildlife.

"It will be the perfect outdoor classroom in which to teach children about the environment.

“There has also been a noise assessment carried out to ensure it will not disrupt classes inside the school and it will not be sited near any residential houses.

“It’s quite a modest size, not one of the gigantic turbines you would see off the coast so we are quite confident it is appropriate.”

Plans for the wind turbine, which would be sited on the left hand side of the school’s entrance together with a wildlife area, have been submitted to Hyndburn Borough Council to be considered by the planning committee.