A NEW primary school is to be built in Nelson after plans were approved by the county council.

Councillors on the development control committee at county hall delayed making a decision two weeks ago to undertake a site visit to the area in Whitefield.

The plans involve demolishing run-down empty homes in a conservation area to make way for the school.

But following the site visit councillors unanimously voted to give plans for Whitefield Primary School the green light.

County Coun George Adam said the community wanted the school to be built.

He said: “This school is the heart of the community, the children want it, the parents want it and Pendle Borough Council want it.

“It does compliment the regeneration that has already happened and those that went on the site visit saw the boarded-up terraced houses, which have been boarded up for donkeys years, and because of the Elevate funding being withdrawn it might be donkeys years again before these houses can be made good.”

County Coun Peter Malpas said: “The architects have obviously gone to a lot of effort to make sure it does compliment the regeneration that is being carried out on the terraced homes in the area.”

Plans for the £3.5million school were first unveiled in 2009 but faced delays after English Heritage and the Heritage Trust for the North West objected to the demolition work.

Both eventually withdrew their objections before the application went before the council.