A PROJECT to expand Lancashire’s most successful primary school will now cost £4.28million, it has been revealed.

Little Laneshawbridge Primary, near Colne, which has the best (SATs) test scores in the county, is continually oversubscribed and is in need of urgent expansion.

An in-depth report has shown that a complete rebuild is needed for the Colne Road school, costing £4.285million, outstripping previous estimates of £3million to tackle longstanding accommodation issues there.

Schools cabinet member Coun Valli Patel is being asked to approve £3.015million spending from the county council’s Primary Capital Programme.

Another £1.2million has been offered through the Department for Schools’ Targeted Capital Fund, leaving a minor shortfall.

The plan is for a new two-storey building to be erected on the present playground.

Staff and pupils would move from the existing school to the new construction, while a second building and play areas are formed, following the demolition of the current school.

Helen Denton, schools executive director, said in a report to Coun Patel: "This school has been identified as one of the primaries with the greatest concerns in relation to suitability and sufficiency within the county.

"This is a popular and successful school which has grown beyond its limited capacity.

"The accommodation issues have been very difficult to address due to the nature and extent of the current building and site.

"Several options to expand and remodel the existing building to accommodate the current level of pupils have been explored, but proved unfeasible without an entire rebuild."

Presently there are 163 pupils on roll for the 140-capacity school – classroom is space is limited with Year One pupils using a cramped mezzanine area.

The only quibble Ofsted inspectors have identified with the school, following a series of ‘outstanding’ reports, is the lack of PE facilities at Laneshawbridge.

New proposals would increase the school’s capacity by 70 and allow an additional nine pupils to join the intake yearly.