CONTROVERSIAL plans to rebuild a Rawdon primary school on a new site were expected to draw a large crowd yesterday.

Concerned parents and residents were expected to pack a public meeting called to discuss long awaited plans by Education Leeds to rebuild Rawdon Littlemoor School.

Calls for the partly Victorian school, currently on Harrogate Road, to be rebuilt have been made for many years and have been backed by Aireborough MP Paul Truswell.

Last year Mr Truswell said out of the 240 primary schools across the whole of Leeds, Rawdon Littlemoor was probably one of those in greatest need of new accommodation.

Leeds City Council agreed to push ahead with a new building paid for under the Private Finance Initiative last year.

Yesterday, plans for the new school on playing fields at the junction of Apperley Lane, Micklefield Lane and New Road Side, were due to be revealed at a presentation at the school by Education Leeds.

All the parents of children at the school were invited and letters were also sent to residents affected by the plans.

Councillor Graham Latty (Con, Aireborough), the meeting's chairman, said he expected a large turnout.

"The building needs replacing and its not possible to extend or improve it on its present site.

"If it was knocked down and rebuilt it would be two years before it could be used again," he said.

Coun Latty, who has written to all those surrounding the proposed site, said main concerns were about the loss of open space and the likely increase in traffic generated by the school.

"This is a level site with good access and is not going to affect a great deal of people. I'm expecting a good turnout, I've written to everyone close to the site and put posters up everywhere," he said.

Rawdon Littlemoor, which currently has more than 250 children on its roll, is partly housed in buildings dating back to 1878. The school's hall is too small to hold all pupils at assemblies and its 19th Century classrooms are supplemented by temporary buildings.

It is planned that the rebuilt school will include a before and after school club and a playscheme.

l A full report of yesterday's meeting will appear in next week's Wharfedale and Airedale Observer.