Plans have been approved to demolish a "historic" former secondary school building in Saddleworth of "architectural interest".

Plans to demolish the former Saddleworth School on High Street, Uppermill, were submitted earlier this year and have now been given the green light.

The school was built in 1911 and taught teenagers across the borough for more than 100 years.

The planning approval notice comes as staff and students relocated to their newer £27.5m "state-of-the-art" high school in Diggle in March after struggling with the deteriorated state of the building.

An assessment made by the council's conservation officer found the Uppermill site does not meet the criteria for national listing, which would have spared it from demolition.

READ MORE: Urban explorer visits abandoned Saddleworth High School

This is despite noting it has "a moderate level of historic and architectural interest" due to it "being typical of the period and the amount of surviving original fabric".

The planning notes recognise that it would be "preferred" to prevent its demolition "from a heritage point of view", but the council decided demolition is permitted since the structure cannot be listed.

The former head boy, Joe Wheeler, described the former school's conditions as "surreal" with leaking roofs, flooded classrooms and tiles being blown off.

An urban explorer further revealed the state of the school in June this year, documenting the many items that were left behind and abandoned at the site such as cookers, chairs and teaching equipment.

The method to demolish the school has been published by the council and reveals the extent of the task at hand with a demolition rig being used to remove cladding and steelwork while a hydraulic ram will crush the concrete.

READ MORE: Saddleworth Secondary School on track for demolition

While the plans do not reveal when demolition work will commence, the notice instructs the school must come down within the next five years.

It also outlines demolition workers must protect nearby properties from noise and vibration and try to keep disruption to a minimum.

To do this, the plans claim regard will be given to the hours of operation and quieter working methods will be used.

The southern buildings will be left until last to screen off the works and protect neighbours to the east to reduce noise disruption as much as possible.

The council has been approached for comment about why it has approved the demolition given its historical importance.