Blackburn town centre visitors may have noticed the scaffolding surrounding every inch of the Victoria building which has gone up recently.
The scaffolding has been painstakingly put in place by workers as the building undergoes a £25m makeover set to take three years.
A section of Blakey Moor has been closed off to traffic for that period as works take place.
The scaffolding includes several levels and structures which envelope one of the oldest buildings in the town.
At sections and corners the scaffolding has been carefully put into place surrounding even the smallest crevice.
The college said the ‘scaffolding for the Victoria Building is one of the most significant and technically complicated scaffolding jobs in recent years in the North West.’
The college said: “The project has faced and overcome a number of challenges, with the final stage being the installation of a full roof canopy and then sheeting the structure.
“Completion is expected in September. Whilst the scaffolding is being erected, the contractors have made significant progress with the internal strip out of the building.”
The project is funded and managed by the Department for Education. Work on the site began earlier this year.
The £25m project is one of the largest schemes of its kind in the UK and will see the 135-year-old building become a central feature of Blackburn’s town centre masterplan.
The Grade-II listed building and its distinctive features will externally be restored to their former glory, while the inside will be completely renovated to blend old with new.
This includes reinstating some of the original floor plans to create spacious classrooms and meeting areas, and a restoration of the beautiful wood-panelled Headmaster’s Office on the ground floor which will be available for hire.
The entire top floor of the building will be transformed into a live performance, exhibition and creative space for both student and community events.
A section of Blakey Moor next to the site has been closed and contractors have set up offices in the Blakey Moor building opposite.
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