An old secondary school in Uppermill, Saddleworth, has been marked for demolition, council planning documents reveal.
The old Saddleworth Secondary School on High Street, Uppermill, is now on the cards for a full demolition by the council according to a planning application submitted on Monday, August 8.
The Grade II listed building was built in 1911 and taught teenagers across the borough for more than 100 years.
However, due to its deteriorated state in which former head boy, Joe Wheeler, had described the conditions as 'surreal' with leaking roofs, flooded classrooms and tiles being blown off, it is now marked for demolition.
Staff and students relocated into a newer £27.5m 'state-of-the-art' high school in Diggle in March this year which can better accommodate to its growing number of pupils, currently at 1,500.
The plans to demolish the large school and all of its associated buildings have been put forward by the council which will commence with dedicated demolition experts and key personnel from the south westside structure of the site.
Warning signs, perimeter fencing and a traffic marshal will be erected whilst the work is underway to protect the public.
Contractors will first conduct a sweep for drug paraphernalia before moving out larger loose items and attending to any asbestos.
The demolition plans come as an urban explorer revealed the sorry state of the school - and the vast amount of equipment left behind - in June this year.
The explorer documented the many items that have been abandoned, such as cookers, chairs, teaching equipment and school work.
It is unclear from the plans when the demolition work will commence.
However, the method to demolish the school was published by the council on May 23, and reveals the extent of the task at hand.
A demolition rig will be fitted with various processor attachments to gradually lift off any cladding and shear steelwork.
Meanwhile, hydraulic rams will be used to crush the concrete and reduce the structure slowly and systematically.
Any redundant materials will fall into a drop zone in front of the demolition rig and a 'dust buster' will be used to suppress dust emissions.
The plan is to leave the southern buildings until last to screen off the works and protect neighbouring properties to the east to reduce noise disruption as much as possible.
The council has been approached for comment.
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