A derelict school site in Shipley that has cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds to maintain is finally being sold off by Bradford Council.

Heaton Royds Special School, in Redburn Drive, was closed in March 2010 after being declared structurally unsound.

But disposal of the land was held up when the Government requested that the Council keep the site free as the possible location of a free school. Maintaining and securing the school building since its closure cost the authority £28,000.

The Education Funding Agency has since revealed it does not want to build on the site, and the Council has announced the brownfield land will be sold on, with the proceeds to be used on maintaining other Council assets.

It is one of two sites the authority hopes to sell, the other being the former Braithwaite Special School site in Keighley.

Both sites are empty after the schools moved to new buildings. Because they contain playing fields, the final decision on both sites has to be made by Education Secretary Michael Gove following a public consultation.

The site of the former Braithwaite School, which closed in April 2010, has planning permission for a 25-house cul-de-sac, parking, and storage for the neighbouring Clockhouse Centre. If the disposal of the playing fields is approved, the site will be marketed to housing developers.

Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for children’s services, said it was a relief that the Council could now sell the Heaton Royds site. “We were prevented from disposing of this site for some time and had to spend a fortune keeping it secure,” he said.

“Now we are finally able to sell this asset we have no further use for. We should have been able to do this over a year ago. It has been a really annoying situation.

“This is the completion of a plan to reinvest in the resources we need in the face of cuts.

“The money we get from the sales will help protect what we have.”

The public consultation ends on July 15.

Anyone wishing to comment on the proposals can do so by writing to David Airnes at Estate Management, 7th Floor, Jacob’s Well, Bradford BD1 5RW or by e-mailing david.airnes@ bradford.gov.uk.

e-mail: chris.young@telegraphandargus.co.uk