PROPOSALS to build a youth centre at Edge End High School in Brierfield to tackle juvenile nuisance have been given the go-ahead.

The £478,000 development will involve the refurbishment of a building underneath the science block and allow a new single storey extension to be built.

When completed, the new centre will be a base for activities for young people which, it is hoped, would help reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and drug misuse in the area.

The centre will include recreational and educational activities for young people. Many of the people using the centre will be from the deprived wards of Bradley and Whitefield in Nelson and from Brierfield.

The plans were approved at a meeting of Lancashire County Council's development control committee last week.

During school hours the building will support the Princes Trust, a cyber cafe, after school clubs and the Government funded Learning Support Unit which aims to reduce truancy and overcome social exclusion by helping disadvantaged young people.

It could also be used as a youth club, sports and social club and for, recruitment days, project development work, residential planning, training ad development and community events.

The centre will stay open until 10pm throughout the week and until 6pm on Saturdays and 1pm on Sundays.

Pendle Partnership has allocated £160,000 towards the development, with £250,000 from the Schools Standards Fund.