Silsden is to get a new primary school on a greenfield site on the outskirts of town

From Keighley News

Silsden is to get a new primary school on a greenfield site on the outskirts of town.

The new campus, above Daisy Hill and Silsden Park, will bring together the existing Hothfield Junior School and Aire View Infants School.

The complex, due to be open by 2018, will solve existing overcrowding problems and help meet future demand from families moving into the 1,200 new homes planned for Silsden over the next few years.

Silsden councillor Adrian Naylor today exclusively revealed the location of the school site to the Keighley News following the council’s recent purchase of land bordering Banklands Lane and Hawber Cote Lane, off Bolton Road.

The newly-bought land will form half the school site, with the other half taking up an existing site owned by Bradford Council since it put forward plans for a middle school several decades ago.

This council land lies off Middleway and Aireville Mount, above a belt of land accessed off Daisy Hill and earmarked for housing.

Cllr Naylor, who is both a Bradford and Silsden councillor, said parents of children at Aire View and Hothfield were due to be sent letters either tonight or tomorrow.

He said: “The letter says the council has completed the acquisition of land and is now moving along to start the process with the two schools merging in September 2017.” “At the end of the week the council will appoint a design team to start work on the new facility. “I’ve offered to host a public meeting when the designers have some thoughts to share, so that local people know what designs are being considered before they reach the planning stage. “The council expects to go to the planning committee at some point next year, possibly springtime. We’re looking at a 2018/2019 timeframe for the school to open. “Part of completion is moving equipment which is why the council usual likes moving through the summer holidays, but it hasn’t ruled out moving one part of the school in first and the other one later.”

News of the new school’s location was revealed following behind-closed-door discussions yesterday by Bradford Council’s ruling Executive.

Executive members approved the proposed merger of the existing schools, planned for September next year and previously the subject of public consultation.

They also allocated funding for the new Silsden school complex from the council’s Basic Needs education fund. The cost of the school remains confidential.

Ward councillors were today emailed the location of the new school, and heads, governors and parents were due to be notified of the next 24 hours.

The choice of school site comes after many months of research involving Bradford Council officers and ward councillors to assess several potential sites in the Silsden area.

It is as yet unknown where the entrance to the school will be located, but there are potential access points on two sides, from Middleway/Aireville Mount and Banklands Lane/Hawber Cote Lane.

Several months ago Bradford Council unveiled plans for the two existing schools to merge into one primary school in September 2017.

The new ‘Hothfield Primary School’ will continue to use the two existing sites – in the centre of Silsden – until the new campuses built.

The council has earmarked Silsden for 1,200 new houses over the next 15 years as part of its Local Plan, and planning applications have been submitted in recent months for several hundred houses on various sites across the town.