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This includes the demolition of the current School of Arts, the main building and tower block (formerly the Thomas Linacre School) to be replaced by a new college building, and gable-end to the UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) building.

A report from planning officers says there are a number of designated “heritage assets” near the college, including Mesnes Conservation Area, Wigan Hall and Mesnes Building, which are both Grade II listed.

The new building will stand three storeys high with an internal floor space of more than 115,000ft sq.

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“The School of Arts building will be the first of a number including the main and tower blocks to be demolished, as it occupies the main footprint of the new college building,” the report says.

However, it goes on: “The demolition of the main building and tower blocks will only take place once the new building is complete.”

Numerous conditions have been imposed along approval of the scheme, including storage for 230 bicycles at the college.

The project involves a major demolition project first

An updated “travel plan” must also be submitted to the council before the first students move in. It must show “measures to reduce the need to travel to and from the site by private transport.”

The plans have been approved despite concerns raised by the council’s tree officer over the loss of trees which are subject to tree preservation orders (TPOs).

“The loss of the TPO trees is noted and weighed as part of the planning balance in this respect,” the report says.

But as a result of comments made by the tree officer, the scheme must replace each TPO tree with two trees.

Large parts of the original college have already been replaced over the years

As Wigan Today reported last October, all this is all being made possible by government cash being made available.

A college spokesperson said at the time: “In 2019 the Department for Education carried out a national condition survey across the Further Education sector.

"Known as the Further Education Condition Data Collection, the survey identified 16 colleges nationally who were in the greatest need of capital investment with Wigan and Leigh College’s Parson’s Walk campus being one of them.

"Referred to as the Further Education Capital Transformation Fund, this (physical) condition-led investment programme, is being delivered directly by the Department for Education with the college effectively the end-user.

“The project has been out for public consultation and is currently at planning stage.

“The redevelopment project seeks to demolish the Wigan School for the Arts building and the Main College Tower Block Building, to provide space to create a new, state-of-the-art learning environment for our students and the local community.

"The college has been preparing for the project over the last two years and has relocated student activity so there is little disruption to students whilst the building is taking place.”

The Thomas Linacre School was built at the beginning of the 1950s and consecrated 50 years ago. It provided more technical education than the nearby grammar school.

Multi-million-pound redevelopment of Wigan and Leigh College approved