A LANDMARK school building will be demolished to make way for housing.

Wigan Council has given the go-ahead for the 100-year-old former Kingshill Special School in Tyldesley town centre to be knocked down and 12 bungalows built on the site by Astley based developers Redwaters.

The school lies within the Tyldesley conservation area near St George’s Church and conservationists hoped to save the building claiming it was a ‘substantial building of local interest’.

However some councillors and residents said it was an eyesore and are pleased new life is being breathed into the area.

The school was built in 1912 and became Tyldesley senior girls’ school then with the opening of Fred Longworth school it became Tyldesley County Primary School.

When a new primary school opened in Ennerdale Road it was used to teach children with emotional and behavioural problems and closed four years ago.

Redwaters director Sean McCaul said he felt confident Tyldesley residents would approve of the new development.

“We have used a local architect and he has come up with a very attractive scheme for the site.

“It will consist of 10 semi-detached two-bedroomed bungalows and two detached ones in landscaped gardens.

“It will be a gated development. and we hope to start work next month and be finished by summer 2013,” he said.

“Bungalows are now the most sought-after properties in the UK and are popular not just with the elderly or those with limited mobility, but singles and couples in their 40s and 50s who are looking to downsize.”

Mr McCaul added that developers stopped building bungalows because land got too expensive, but since the market took a downturn and land has got more affordable, more are being built.

Prices for the bungalows will start at around £139,950.