THESE new artist's impressions show how the new schools planned as part of the £250million revamp of secondary education in Burnley and Pendle could look.

The images have been prepared by the company chosen as the preferred developer of the Building Schools for the Future programme Catalyst Lend Lease.

The pictures show Shuttleworth Community College at Gawthorpe, the Barden Lane campus, Burnley, and Pendle Vale Community College, Nelson.

Jason Millett, chief executive of Catalyst Lend Lease, said: "I know we will be able to offer some attractive and imaginative solutions to Lancashire's long-term education needs.

"We are excited by the prospect and look forward to starting work soon on the first of this new generation of schools."

The £250million Building Schools for the Future projects will be the largest single investment ever made in Burnley and Pendle's education system.

The scheme will see eight new secondary schools replace the existing 11 in Burnley and Nelson.

There will also be a new multi-faith community college to replace existing sixth forms at Habergham High School and St Theodore's RC High School.

The first schools to be built will be Shuttleworth, Barden Lane and Pendle Vale, followed by Unity, Sir John Thursby Community College and Marsden Heights, and finally Blessed Trinity RC College and Hameldon.

Building work is due to start in August, with the schools available from 2008.

Yesterday we reported how campaigners fighting the proposals to build on land at Towneley have been told there will no public inquiry into the controversial scheme.

Opponents had asked for Lancashire County Council's plans to be called in' by the government because they claimed the site was unsuitable.

But Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Ruth Kelly said there was no need for a public inquiry.