Children at a new Bradford school face being bussed elsewhere for PE because of a lack of playground space.

Parents believe the planned new Thornbury Primary School will be too small - wasting a golden opportunity to create a first-class facility.

Under the Bradford schools reorganisation, the school, which is split across two sites in Leeds Old Road, will be getting new premises in Lower Rushton Road for its 630 pupils, making it among the largest primary schools in the district.But parents and governors have accused Bradford Council of squandering an opportunity, and the parents say the community spirit fostered over many years will be destroyed.

They think the playground area does not meet space requirements and the pupils will have to be bussed elsewhere for sport and PE lessons, wasting time and money.

They are also concerned that there is no room for parents to get involved in community activities such as learning English, sewing lessons and a parent and toddler group.

Yasmin Ahmed has two children at the school and four older children who went there. She said: "When we saw the plans it really shook us. It just isn't acceptable. We want the best for our children. We have been given a chance for a new school - why is it being made a mess of?"

Sharon Watts, another parent, added: "It's not right what they are doing, they haven't taken into consideration the community side of things."

Parent governor Amjid Khan said governors supported the parents and would discuss the issue at their next meeting on May 8. He said: "Thornbury is going to be one of the biggest schools in the area and we've got to look ahead to the next 50 or 60 years. We should be planning to build a big school now but this doesn't even meet the requirements of today."

Councillor Mohammad Yaqoob (Lab, Bradford Moor) said he was delighted a new school was on the agenda but thought the plans were a bit ambitious. "For more than 20 years we've been fighting for a new primary school and it's wonderful news that at last we're going to get one," he said.

"But I'm not happy with the idea of a three-form entry. A two-form entry would be much more suitable and I have a lot of sympathy with parents who are concerned about this."

Coun Yaqoob said he would arrange a meeting with planning officers and developers so parents could ask questions about the new school.

There are no longer any requirements from the Department for Education and Employment on playground space. Schools are not even required to have a playground but there are guidelines on building size.

A spokesman for Bovis Lend Lease, Bradford Council's managing partner in the schools reorganisation which heads the massive building project across the district, said the school's increased size had cut back playground space.

"The school was increased to a three-form entry from a two-and-a-half-form entry by agreement between the school and the Department for Education," he said. "As a result the school building needed to be increased in order to meet DfEE regulations. This in turn led to a decrease in the amount of play space available at the school. Discussions are still taking place between all parties to try to resolve the issue of suitable play space."

A Council spokesman said it was looking at options for off-site playing fields.

Building work is due to start no later than July 9 this year, with a latest completion date of June 2002.