A DERELICT school building which is one of the last remaining examples of its type in the country has been saved from the bulldozers.

But a Government ruling to save the landmark school in Easington Colliery, County Durham, has been met with dismay by residents.

Easington Primary School, which dominates Seaside Lane, was built in 1911.

Pupils of pitmen working at the thriving colliery sat in its classrooms for generations and in its heyday it housed more than 600 pupils.

But by 1998 the community merited better and more modern facilities and a school was built on a different site in the village.

Recognised as one of only a handful of examples of schools of its style in the country, the old school was officially listed as a Grade II building.

But the building was a repeated target for vandals and came to be viewed as an eyesore by residents.

Westnew Developments, which bought the premises in 2003, ruled out the refurbishment of the buildings as economically unviable and applied for planning permission to replace it with 39 residential units.

The bid was backed by more than 1,000 residents and was approved by Easington District Council.

But following opposition from English Heritage, The Victorian Society and the local regeneration charity, Acumen Development Trust, the application went to a public inquiry.

Yesterday, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and the adjudicating Government Inspector ruled the building must not be demolished.

Ms Blears said: "Taking into account the importance of the buildings as an irreplaceable record of the development of the coalfield community and the development of education nationally demolition should be resisted.''

The decision was immediately described by Easington District Council as "a hollow victory and a setback'' to the village's regeneration.

Speaking on behalf of the Colliery's Residents Association, Margaret Eales said: "It's all well and good for those living in lovely homes, with lovely gardens and lovely views, to rule what we should have to live with every day.''

Westnew's managing director, Tony Mann, said: "We will have to study the decision very carefully before we decide the next course of action.''

However, a spokesman for English Heritage welcomed the decision, and said: "It is now beyond dispute that the buildings are capable of conversion and reuse.

"We believe that in reusing these buildings they will once again be able to make a significant and valuable contribution to the local community."

A Victorian Society spokesman said: "We now want to see a scheme that will use these buildings so that local people can be proud of them again."

The chief executive of Acumen Development Trust, Kate Welch, said her charity already had a scheme prepared, using the buildings as the base for a Centre for Enterprise.