A TEACHING union boss fears the £5million new 630-pupil Olive Primary could have a ‘devastating effect’ on other local junior and infant schools.

The Tauheedul Trust has applied for permission to construct the complex on Meins Road in Beardwood, next to its high-flying girls academy.

It proposes to move the Islamic faith school from its home in Bicknell Street, where it has 240 children in three year groups, in January 2016.

The new two-storey building will expand its intake to house 630 pupils in seven groups.

The National Union of Teachers’ Blackburn branch secretary Simon Jones said: “The school has already damaged four primary schools near its existing site, including Cedars, of which I am a governor.

“It will have a similar devastating effect on primaries near the new site. The damage has already been done.

“I am opposed to free schools and moving the Olive will not change that.

“They create chaos for other schools and make planning impossible.”

Beardwood with Lammack ward councillor Mike Lee expressed concerns over parking and traffic congestion.

The borough Tory group leader said: “If the educational achievements are as good as the Tauheedul Girls’ High School, then that is good news for the education of borough children.

“I just hope to will take children from all parts of the community.

“They need to sort out the traffic and parking with the girls high school on the site and Westholme nearby, “There is also the impact on local schools to consider although I think they will take pupils from all the town.”

Tauheedul Trust chief executive Hamid Patel believes the new school will ‘offer an even better learning experience and create a new hub at the heart of the local community.’ The trust’s attempt to move its boys high school to the former YMCA building on Clarence Street was dropped after failing to get planning permission over traffic and parking concerns.

The new primary will use unoccupied playing areas of the former Beardwood High School and will be transferred from Blackburn with Darwen council ownership for free under government legislation.

It will have 12 classrooms and 55 car parking spaces on site.