Housing plans are passed for old school buildings

Developer D2M3 (Yorkshire) applied to turn the buildings at the former Rastrick Independent School in Brighouse, into six homes, as well as build eight new houses in the grounds.

Two sets of plans were lodged with Calderdale Council in 2021, with a scheme to demolish a link between a Grade II-listed building and the rest of the school approved last year.

This was to allow the historic 1832 Castle Hill House to be refurbished and turned into a four-bedroom home.

Now the second scheme for the site has been approved by Calderdale planners, albeit with amendments that reduce the number and alter the style of the new builds on site.

The latest plans involve the western wing of the school building being converted into three-storey terraced townhouses.

Other buildings on site would be demolished to make way for six new 2.5-storey detached houses.

This includes the east wing of the Victorian school, the modern nursery school and the removal of the portacabin and structures within the playground.

There would also be a 0.15 hectares communal open space, that could include benches, water features, as well as a place for food growing.

The amended plans by D2M3 for the former Rastrick Independent School site (Image: D2M3)

In a report by planners, it states: “In terms of the new development on the site, as originally submitted, the new properties were traditional in appearance but there were concerns about their overall scale and design and their relationship to the school.

“It was considered that the school building should be the dominant element within the site, with the new houses presenting a more subservient appearance.

“Following revision and negotiation, the six new houses would now be of a contemporary design.

“As a consequence, they would not offer a pastiche design next to the school but rather, have an individual design approach that respects the scale of the school building but as a modern interpretation.”

The Ilkley firm bought the site after the school and day nursery’s owner, Rastrick Educational Services Limited, went into liquidation in 2019.

At the time of the sale, D2M3 director, Mark Robinson said: “The school presents a rare opportunity to deliver a signature development in the heart of Rastrick that reflects the history and heritage of the site.

“We look forward to working with Calderdale Council to create a mixture of renovated, converted and new build houses that combine modern building practices with traditional crafts to deliver warm and characterful homes.”