(Image: The Northern Echo)
Demolition and asbestos removal work at a former County Durham college has been approved as part of plans to redevelop the site for specialist education.
Durham County Council intends to appoint a contractor to demolish the redundant Fyndoune Community College buildings in Sacriston before the site is levelled, graded and reinstated.
Planning documents state that preparation work is due to begin this month, with the demolition of Block 3 and Blocks 5, 6 and 7 planned as part of the first phase.
Block 1 is expected to remain in use for longer and is due to be demolished in summer 2028, once existing building users have vacated.
The work will include removing asbestos from the buildings before they are demolished.
Fyndoune Community College closed in April 2021 following a merger with Durham Community Business College for Technology and Enterprise in Ushaw Moor.
The former college site is now at the centre of plans for a new specialist school, providing 180 additional places for children with special educational needs.
The proposed facility would cater for pupils with special educational and medical needs, including secondary school-aged children who require additional support.
Durham County Council has submitted a pre-application for the wider redevelopment, with letters due to be delivered to nearby residents from Monday, August 17.
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The council said the new school would provide a "dedicated, high-quality specialist educational curriculum" designed to prepare young people for life in their local communities.
It also said the development would provide benefits for the wider Sacriston community, with residents able to access indoor and outdoor facilities.
Further details of the proposed new school and its facilities are expected to emerge as the redevelopment progresses.