Multi-million pound Blackpool school expansion plan given the go ahead

The scheme will see a two storey building constructed at Highfurlong Special School on Blackpool Old Road, linked to the existing classrooms by an elevated covered walkway.

Blackpool Council planners approved the application using their delegated powers.

Last December the council’s executive also approved £4.8m of investment in the school which caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs including both physical and learning disabilities.

Currently the school , which won the School of the Year award at the National School Awards in 2021, has a capacity for 79 pupils, although there are currently 112 on the roll meaning it is operating around 40 per cent above capacity.

The new classrooms will enable capacity to increase to 180 – more than doubling pupil numbers, which have already tripled in five years – and reduce the need to use out-of-borough placements.

Staff numbers are expected to increase from 68 to 98, with 21 new car parking spaces proposed to add to the existing 30 spaces.

A planning report says: “Highfurlong provides essential education and support to some of Blackpool’s most vulnerable children.

“Expansion of the school to meet existing and future local needs accords with planning policy and weighs heavily in favour of the scheme.”

The ground floor of the new building will comprise facilities for post-16 students, alongside a new kitchen that will serve the whole school (currently facilities are shared with Aspire Academy).

There will also be a community cafe designed for post 19 students to gain employment skills.

The upper floor will comprise classrooms and ancillary spaces for secondary aged pupils, with the existing building to be used by primary age pupils.

A future phase two of investment would include a new hydrotherapy suite, with a music room, sensory unit and breakout rooms above.

Approval was granted despite part of the scheme falling into an area of designated green belt.

But planners ruled as this was limited to provision of an access road and landscaping it would not harm the openess of the green belt.

There were also no objections to using part of a playing field as the land had never been used as a sports facility.