A LYTHAM landmark school building is to be sold for development.

The shock news that governors are in talks with Fylde Borough Council on the plan was given to staff at the merged King Edward VII and Queen Mary public school on Clifton Drive on Monday.

The amalgamated school, which went co-educational in 1999, is blaming the phasing out of the assisted places scheme for a drop in the number of pupils. They will all be housed in an extended and refurbished King Edward building from 2003.

Governors plan to sell the Queen Mary building to raise cash for the redevelopment of the single-site school. Meanwhile, pupils will continue to be taught in the adjacent buildings.

The governors have pledged to retain the familiar main-road facade.

Headmaster Julian Wilde told The Citizen: "I am delighted by the news that talks with the council are beginning on the sale of the Queen Mary building.

"We want to ensure that we provide the best facilities for our pupils and are planning ahead for the next two decades."

There were 1,000 pupils at the two sites in 1997 -- half on the doomed assisted places scheme -- but by 2003 there will be just 600.

The old Queen Mary playing fields will be retained for continued school use, and the nursery and infant school, purpose-built seven years ago, will remain on its site in King Edward Avenue. And governors are planning a new junior school building, probably on the site of the old rifle range.

Chairman of the governors Mr John Bennett said: "These are exciting times. If the council agree our proposals it will mean the completion of plans which started with the amalgamation of the two schools -- an amalgamation caused by the Government phasing out the assisted places scheme.

"By 2004 that phasing out will be completed."

He said that in the interests of the pupils and the running of a strong and viable school they had to plan ahead.

"We want to ensure we have in the borough one of the country's leading independent schools. We believe this is what is wanted by the people of Lytham St Annes."

He added that staff numbers had been reduced in recent years through natural wastage and it was intended that this would continue. "We are confident we will attain the number of staff we will need without compulsory redundancy," he added. The teacher-pupil ratio would remain at one-to-12.

Fylde council chief planning officer Mr Paul Drinnan confirmed the talks. "This is a landmark strategic site," he said. "And the governors want to know our views. We will advise them on what we feel is appropriate."

Mr Bennett confirmed there were some uses they would not consider -- and these certainly included industry and entertainment.

"The conversion will be compatible with the neighbourhood. We want to keep local residents -- our neighbours -- happy. We want people to be aware of what is happening and to make their observations."

FOR SALE: The Queen Mary School building