OPPONENTS of Burnley’s proposed new free school fear students may be taught in classrooms deemed unfit for 21st century education.

Former school buildings which housed the old Habergham High School were vacated as part of the £250million Building Schools for the Future programme across Lancashire.

But the location, in Byron Street, has been named as a potential site for the planned Burnley High School, backed by the Life Church and an educational trust called Chapel Street.

Borough and county councillor Marcus Johnstone, who was schools’ cabinet member during the BSF process, voiced concerns about the development.

Coun Johnstone said: “We have a ludicrous situation where we could have Burnley children educated in a building which was deemed not suitable for education in the 21st century.” Millions had been spent providing new schools across Burnley, he told a full council meeting, and the results at many of the borough’s establishments were improving.

He said: “It has been a long, hard process but we are starting to get it right.”

The Lancashire Telegraph revealed earlier this summer how there were still hundreds of empty desks in Burnley’s high schools – with Hameldon Community College less than half full.

Coun Johnstone said that the arrival of the new school was also causing ‘significant delays’ to the county council, as it looked to dispose of the property.

The officials behind the new school are yet to finally decide on a site for the high school, which is also supported by Community Solutions Lancashire and a number of leading educationalists.