A historic college building could become home to a new boarding school for boys.
Preston College closed the doors on its campus on Moor Park Avenue in 2011, when its dance and performing arts classes moved to a new £5m building at its main Fulwood base.
College bosses then sought planning permission to demolish the Victorian buildings, formerly home to the Park School, and create 30 terraced homes, in a bid to make the site more attractive to potential buyers.
Now plans have been lodged to convert the eastern half of the campus - including the old school and part of the car park - into a boarding school for Muslim boys.
Planning agents for the scheme, submitted by the ABI Trust, declined to comment on the details of the plans.
However, a planning statement prepared by them says the new school would complement an existing Islamic school in Fulwood.
It says: “The Abrar Academy is already established at Garstang Road, Preston, providing a day school for 11-18 year old students.
“This application seeks to complement the existing establishment by providing a boarding school for up to 100 students that will be supported by 12-15 teaching or day staff.
“(It) seeks to provide a leaning environment which allows students to become independent and mature individuals.
“The applicant proposes to provide mainstream education to boys over the age of 11 within an environment that promotes mutual respect and tolerance of all religions and races.”
Drawings submitted to Preston Council in support of the scheme show a vision for up to 10 classrooms, a seminar room, assembly hall, a recreation room, student and teacher welfare facilities, with open space for outdoor games.
The Abrar Academy currently provides classes for boys girls of secondary age, as well as adults.
Planning agents for the school have advised Preston Council there has been little interest from developers in implementing the planning permission for residential use.
No-one at Preston College was available for comment yesterday.
The council’s planning committee will discuss the scheme in the next few months.
The plans come a few weeks after plans were unveiled for an Islamic education centre in another historic Preston building, the Avenham Institute.
The listed premises was sold off by the University of Central Lancashire to tycoon Yousuf Bhailok, after its arts students were given a new building closer to the main campus.
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