Fury over school scheme Plans are labelled unfair

Furious residents claimed Education Leeds had presented them with a done deal with its plan to rebuild Littlemoor Primary School - possibly on playing fields off the A65 New Road Side.

At a packed public meeting held at the Harrogate Road school on Wednesday last week, the school's headteacher and representatives of Education Leeds said that the school was in desperate need of being rebuilt.

But more than 100 residents said New Road Side was already congested at all times of the day and that a school would make it far worse.

They also complained about the loss of playing fields and pointed out that children going to the new school would have to cross two busy main roads.

They believed that hard pressed motorists would also turn to rat-running along residential roads to avoid delays on New Road Side.

And they were also concerned that the present school building, which is not listed, would be bulldozed and replaced with housing.

Philip Goody from Education Leeds said that the school had been condemned by government Ofsted inspectors in 1998 and until four years ago still had outside toilets.

The old part of the school dated back to 1878 with half of the space needed provided by temporary classrooms. The main hall was too small to take all the children at once and it was difficult to guard all the school's entrances and exits.

Headteacher Shelagh Henderson, who joined the school in January, said she looked forward to a school that would not only be a credit to Rawdon but to the whole of Leeds.

"I want Rawdon people to have the best school in Leeds. I want it to be a flag ship of quality and one that we can look at with pride," she said.

She said the present facilities were completely inadequate for the 265 pupils and inappropriate for modern teaching.

"This building is absolutely wonderful. It was built in 1878 and the bell rings every morning, but it is fraught with problems. It is very small and can only hold half our children, the rest are in temporary accommodation.

"I would like our school to be a magical place for our children and I want it to provide a curriculum that is broadly based in a quality environment."

Mrs Henderson said she was unashamedly pro-environment and was keen to introduce innovative aspects into the new school.

"One of my ambitions is to have a new school and I feel quite excited about it.

"I want a school that will reflect the 21st century. I want solar panels incorporated and hope to recycle our rain water.

"If we could recycle water to flush toilets, not only would it be good for the country and for the world, it would be good for sustainability."

Mrs Henderson pointed out that the current school building was difficult to make secure because it had four playgrounds and numerous entrances and exits.

"It is very difficult to watch all the entrances and exits, there are lots of nooks and crannies. We feel a new school would be much safer."

Governor Cyril Snow urged residents to back the proposals for the future education of children in Rawdon.

"For more than 20 years we have been waiting for a new school appropriate for our time today. More than 20 years ago we were promised a new school. In the past six years we have had significant improvements, but we have had 20 years of neglect."

Mr Snow revealed that the governors had only been made aware of the scheme days before and that they would have preferred more discussion, but he added: "I would urge people to accept these plans. Surely people would like to see children educated in the best affordable scheme, I would urge you to consider the needs of your children."

The government has approved a £24 million scheme to rebuild ten primary schools across Leeds. The schools will be rebuilt under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Derek Howell, in charge of the project with Education Leeds, said the council had considered and rejected rebuilding on the present site and on allotments near by. It was now considering rebuilding on land in its ownership on playing fields in a triangle between New Road Side, Micklefield Lane and Apperley Lane.

He said the land, currently used as playing fields, including by Benton Park School, would provide plenty of space with the new school taking up only a third with the rest remaining improved playing fields. He added that the new school could be placed in several different places within the site.

Mr Howell said: "This current site is not good enough or big enough for the building of a school. We need to build a new school and we need to provide a site that is big enough."

The site was also flat, had good pedestrian and vehicular access and could be fitted with a 30-40 space staff car park with turning facilities to allow parents to drive off the A65 and drop their children off.

But residents argued that the site was inappropriate because it would increase traffic on New Road Side and claimed it would lead to the loss of playing fields.

Martin Sellens, principal planning officer with Leeds City Council, said the loss of playing fields would be a concern and pointed out that the council would have to comply with recommendations from Sport England.

Residents were also concerned that it would mean children having to cross New Road Side - even though the council has said a pedestrian crossing would be installed.

Gerard Binks said it could mean 100 more cars going to the new school to pick up and collect children.

"The congestion on that road is bad enough and with two pelican crossings it's going to be worse and rat runs in places like Gladstone Road will only get worse. I can't understand why the council wants to put a school with access onto the A65. We have a site here that should be the jewel in Rawdon's Crown and we should not want buildings on it."

Steve Flannigan, from Leeds highways department, accepted there would be additional traffic but added attempts would be made to minimise it including trying to educate people to share school transport and walk to school where possible.

"Most people realise that there is half an hour in the morning and the afternoon with more traffic and then it disappears. We are trying to minimise the effect," he said.

Councillor Graham Latty, chairman of Aireborough Community Involvement Team and chairman of the meeting, stressed that the council had not made its mind up and comments would be taken into account.

He reminded residents that they could either write direct to him or to the council about their concerns and would have another chance when and if a planning application was submitted.

He said: "A lot of people seem to think this plan is already decided. I did not know about it until very recently and don't believe there has been an active plan for some time. I believe it has not been known until now because there was no need to cause unnecessary alarm.

"I would urge people to write to me and I can co-ordinate those feelings so we can get the message across."

l The council will now consider all comments made to it both from the public meeting and since the meeting.

An outline planning application will be submitted which will have to go to the Secretary of State for approval - because the council can no longer approve or refuse its own applications.