Crumbling six-year-old college classroom block in Preston to be demolished

The college is to flatten the two-storey St Teresa's building on the city centre campus and replace it with an almost identical upgrade containing eight classrooms.

Demolition is due to begin within days and is expected to take just six weeks.

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The St Teresa's building was only constructed in 2017 as a temporary fix, with the intention of replacing it with a more permanent structure. But just six years on the structure, which adjoins the college's sports hall, is crumbling.

A report to the city council's planning committee says: "The existing building has failed and cannot be repaired, and thus urgent replacement is required. Failure has occurred with the external envelope and weathering details which has resulted in prolonged water ingress leading to decay of the timber structure."

The new block will have an expected lifespan of at least 60 years, according to a report.

Fears by local residents that the new building will bring increased traffic and more students to an already congested residential area have been allayed by planning chiefs.

The report says: "Objections have been received which relate to highway safety and parking. The proposed building is a replacement of an existing building and will not alter the number of parking spaces or access into the site.

"Furthermore, the proposal would not result in an uplift in students or staff. It is therefore considered the proposal would not exacerbate the existing situation.

"The letters of objection raise concern with students looking over walls/fences into gardens and anti-social behaviour, however, this does not relate to the application building.

"The proposal is for a replacement building and would not increase the number of students therefore, the proposal would not exacerbate the current situation. It is therefore considered the proposed development is acceptable and would not have any unacceptable adverse impacts upon residential amenity, the street scene, traffic and highway safety or waste management."

The new building will be only marginally bigger in its footprint than the existing block - 710 sqm compared to 690 sqm. It will be a modular construction "manufactured off-site to provide a quick turnaround f ollowing demolition." It will be almost seven metres high.