AN INSIGHT was given into the development which will take a rundown school into the 21st Century when councillors gave the scheme the green light.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning and highways committee backed the £13million plans to demolish St Wilfrid's High C of E High School, Duckworth Street, Blackburn, and replace it with a state-of-the-art learning centre.

Work on creating the new, enlarged school is to start in November and will be completed by April 2004.

At the heart of the project is the aim of bringing all the pupils -- who are aged between 11 and 18 -- on to one site in Duckworth Street.

Currently, pupils have to walk between centres in Duckworth Street and nearby Byrom Street to attend lessons. A report to the committee was told that the first phase of the work, due for completion by September 2002, will see classes moved from Byrom Street to Duckworth Street.

The second phase will involve completing the new school before demolishing the old buildings.

The committee was told this means that the new school hall and gymnasium will be the focal point of the school, with blocks of classrooms built around two courtyards which run off from the halls.

A spokesman for the planning department said: "The courtyards have been designed to allow the buildings to be naturally ventilated, minimising the need for mechanical extraction.

"The positioning of the hall, sports hall and gym to the north of the site allows the new facilities to be built without the need of demolition first.

"The overall plan aims to reduce traffic noise from the main road into the classrooms and also shields views from adjoining houses. "Additional recreational space has also been incorporated into the plan."

He added: "The overall plan has also been designed with the school's curriculum needs in mind. There is a need to place subjects areas together in a functional fashion.

"A visually attractive internal and external environment is another aim."

Segregation between pupils, traffic and service vehicles has been provided to remove health and safety risks associated with operating a school on a building site. Councillors approved the plans without comment as long as several conditions were adhered to, including the creation of six off-street bus bays so that nearby roads do not get congested when pupils are arriving and leaving school.

Cycle links must also be created at the school and 150 bike stands.

The revamp of St Wilfrid's was announced earlier this year when the Department for Education and Employment agreed to pay half the cost.

The borough's education authority will chip in £3million, while the school has had to find around £2million itself.

The new school will feature classrooms with fibre optic links and the latest equipment to plug into the information revolution.

Head David Whyte said: "It will take St Wilfrid's into the 21st Century."