A DECISION to demolish David Hockney's former school in Bradford has been condemned by the Victorian Society as it campaigns to save the nation's education heritage.

Bradford Council seemingly sealed the fate of the former Hutton Middle School in Eccleshill last month when a planning application to knock it down and replace it with houses was approved, despite a spirited campaign to try to save it.

Christopher Costelloe, director of the Victorian Society, said the decision illustrated a wider trend of demolition of Victorian and Edwardian school buildings across the country and described it as the "tip of the iceberg".

The Society is urging councils - including Bradford - to preserve heritage and refurbish school buildings which it says tell the story of the nation's journey to universal education.

Councillor Val Slater, the Council's heritage champion, hit back, claiming it was exaggerating the position.

But Mr Costelloe said: "It is a real shame that Bradford Council has approved plans to demolish David Hockney’s former school. The handsome building seems suitable for conversion into flats – but instead Bradford will lose part of its history and identity.

"Victorian and Edwardian school buildings are generally of a high quality and often constitute local landmarks. However, this one case is just the tip of the iceberg. We are seeing increasing numbers of applications to demolish Victorian and Edwardian schools – even where the site will continue as a school.

"Councils should endeavour to ensure that these buildings are preserved where possible."

The Society said the demolition of the building, which was built in 1886, followed the demise of another Victorian former Hockney school, the Wellington School.

It also pointed to another school building under threat, with a spokesman saying: "Whitcliffe Mount School in Cleckheaton will also be rebuilt by Kirklees Council. While the majority of the current buildings date from the sixties, the Council proposes demolishing the site’s handsome Edwardian building for use as a car park"

Cllr Slater said: "I think it is exaggeration on the part of the Victorian Society. They're not happy about some of our planning processes. We are due to meet with them to discuss the issue."

She added: "I think Bradford retains an awful lot of its unique heritage but in my view you cannot preserve everything.

"Buildings need to have uses. If they cannot be adapted for modern uses then it can be unfortunate that they have to be disposed of."

When asked if the building should be preserved, Cllr Slater said: "I have no real view on that. I do not know the school or the particular site."

She added: "I recognise that people are attached to buildings. Someone rang me from Canada on this. His grandfather had been involved in some of the stone masonry at the school."