The council planning committee will meet next month to decide the application. Contractor Wates is hoping for the green light to start building work soon after on the purpose-built campus for St Benedict’s School and Mayfield School on one site.

The two schools will be built in separate blocks linked by a central block which will house the sports hall, the dining area for St Benedict’s and facilities for Mayfield School including a hydrotherapy pool.

Project funding comes from a range of partners including The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, Copeland Council, Copeland Community Fund and Cumbria County Council.

The proposed layout has been influenced by the need to keep the existing St Benedict’s School during construction. Once the new-build is up and running, there are proposals to demolish the former St Benedict’s school buildings.