A flood-hit Carlisle secondary school is close to securing a new site – and the Government has agreed in principle to fund it.

Newman Catholic School has been operating out of temporary buildings at the former Pennine Way Primary School site in Harraby after being badly flooded in December for the second time in 10 years.

It emerged last month that it may now not risk a third by returning to its site in Lismore Place, near to the River Eden.

Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young has revealed they are close to securing an alternative site.

He told The Cumberland News: “We are in active discussions about an alternative site and hope to announce something fairly soon.”

Mike Shovlin, Newman’s chairman of governors, added the Government had agreed in principle to fund a new school.

Mr Young added: “We’ve had that in writing but we would still have to make a business case and value-for-money case.

“It would have to look at the cost of a new school against going back to the old site. If we did go back it would either have to be on stilts or built up to a higher level. We can’t just have the same again.”

Headteacher John McAuley said the insurance company would cover the cost of repairing the flooded school, as happened in 2005, but they have not rushed to do this due to the risk of another disaster.

The Catholic diocese, Newman and the county council are all in favour of moving to a new site. But with limited land available in central Carlisle, it may be that they have to look at other parts of the city.

Mr McAuley said the way they had adapted to the Harraby site – which features state-of-the-art temporary classrooms – demonstrates that it is possible to retain its appeal. “Our ethos, values and standards have transferred with us. No child has suffered in terms of education,” he said.

Mr Young, who visited the school to see how pupils had adapted six months on, said he was very impressed with both the facilities and sense of calm.