A PLAN to create a brand new Alternative Provision school in Barrow has been hailed as ‘an exciting time for education’.

Community leaders praised the proposals for a new 40-place school, which would support up to 25 young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, as ‘wonderful’.

If given the green light the site, derelict land at Channelside, would be brought back to life.

Cllr Bill McEwan said: “This is an exciting time for education as well as new life being brought to an old part of town.

“I am excited for the kids who will go there because we need this new school.

“It is going to be handy for the children at the south of the town in Channelside. Let’s hope this is the place for it to be built.

“I’m really looking forward to it coming about, it’s a very exciting time for Barrow.”

The facility will serve pupils from across south Cumbria who struggle in mainstream school.

County Cllr Anne Burns, Cumbria’s children’s services boss said: “It’s been a long-term plan for a number of years for this administration. Alternative provision is part of our inclusion strategy, so to get this up and running would be wonderful.”

The application submitted by Cumbria County Council to Barrow Borough Council will go before the planning committee.

The application states the school has to be an adaptable building, able to change use throughout its lifetime of approximately 60 years, with the option to extend the building if pupil numbers grow.

Cllr Kevin Hamilton, chairman of Cumbria County Council’s local committee for Barrow, said he thinks now is the right time for a new school to be built.

He said: “The new build will be great, this is absolutely brilliant news.

“Newbridge House, the building we use now, is no way near good enough for our children’s education.

“So to build a new place is fantastic. The location of this new facility will give them room outside to breathe.”

The development site is close to the A590 for those travelling into the town to the school, the application said.

As part of the planning application, a spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “The council has been looking into suitable sites for alternative education since 2016.

“We identified two new places for alternative provision in education, one in Carlisle and one on a site in Barrow.

“The Barrow location will accommodate 40 pupils made up of 25 young people with social and emotional mental health needs.

“Our aim is to provide a genuine alternative curriculum and education experience for children and young people unable to access mainstream schools.”

The Channelside site has been vacant since 1985.

It was later levelled and a promenade added to try and attract investors.

But despite this it failed to attract any interest from developers.