A NEW free school will not be opening in a former community centre as planned this September after Bradford Council decided the site should only be for community use.

Khalsa Education Trust had planned to open a primary school at Fagley Community Centre, with the first 60 pupils enrolling at the start of the next school year.

The trust, which also runs a school in Leeds, has announced that "with deepest regret and sadness" it will not be opening the school and it is "absolutely devastated" for the community.

The Education Funding Agency had been in negotiations with Bradford Council over the site.

It has now been revealed that the local authority refused to agree on amending the use of the land - it has a covenant on it meaning it can only be utilised for community use.

A statement from the trust said: "It is furthermore disappointing for the residents of Fagley following the announcements that planning permission has been granted for 600 properties which will see many parents struggle further to get their children into a local school.

"We had hoped to ease this pressure and it is disappointing for all concerned that this will not happen."

Some groups which used the building strongly objected to plans for the new school. They felt they were being evicted by landlords the Newlands Community Association.

Council leader David Green said: "There is a covenant on the land that says it can only be used for community use. We had to take into account the concerns expressed by the local community groups that used the centre.

"It is unfortunate that the Khalsa group got embroiled in this dispute over the use of the land. It shows up the Government's policy on free schools. Instead of sitting down with the Council to find a suitable site for the school, they let the Council know about this after much of the work had already been done."

Councillor Ann Wallace (Eccleshill, Lib Dem), who had supported the protests to keep the community centre open, said: "The school had said it would provide facilities for the community, but that would have been after school. A real community centre should be able to be used from 9am to whenever. A school is not a community centre."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Unfortunately, after exploring all options it was not possible to secure a suitable site for a September 2015 opening.

"This decision now allows the Council the necessary time to find places for those pupils who had applied for this school and more certainty for those parents. We would welcome future free school applications from the Trust or in this area."

Newlands Community Association would not comment on the announcement.