BUILDING work on two new schools in Nelson has reached a landmark point with foundation stones laid.

Yesterday saw the stone laid at St Paul’s Primary School in Hibson Road, and a ceremony took place at the new Whitefield Infant School, in Portland Street, Nelson, on Tuesday.

Lancashire County Council chairman Michael Devaney laid the stones at each ceremony, which were also attended by local dignitaries.

At Whitefield School the headteacher for 30 years, Ethna Cummins, attended the ceremony, while current pupils sang to the guests, including local county councillor Mohammed Iqbal.

Campaigners for the new £3.5million school faced a three-year battle to force the planning permission through.

Objections to the demolition of terraced streets in the area were received by English Heritage, North West Heritage and SAVE, which had to be overcome before the plans were approved.

The ceremony at St Paul’s was attended by local County Coun Azhar Ali, as well as headteacher Stephen Crook, Father Philip Knowles and the Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, who dedicated the stone.

Proposals for a new St Paul’s Primary were first unveiled in October 2011 but they met with fierce opposition from local councillors and parents.

At that time Lancashire County Council wanted to move the school from Hibson Road to the former Mansfield High School site, more than one mile away.

Following a consultation education chiefs at county hall shelved those plans and instead decided to build a new school on the former Edge End High School site, much closer to the current St Paul’s site.