£9m school ‘on schedule’ despite legal challenge
KIRKLEES Council says it is on track to open a new £9.7m primary school despite still facing a legal challenge over the site.
The authority says groundworks and foundations for the main building that will house Brambles Primary Academy at Clare Hill are “predominantly complete”.
However, the project has been mired in controversy since the council revealed it was to take allotments to create playing fields and a car park.
Plotholders on Cemetery Road Allotments have fought the council through the courts, initially winning a judicial review only to see it overturned. An application for a new judicial review was recently rejected.
They are still pursuing legal action and say they have been granted an oral hearing on May 21. In the meantime they are being “migrated” from existing plots to new ones, with the council offering – but so far failing – to provide greenhouses.
Allotments group spokeswoman Debby Fulgoni said: “We now have a date of May 21 for the oral hearing. Some allotment holders have still not been migrated successfully to new plots yet but construction company Wates have taken control of the site.” She added: “The council has been offered mediation to help the process but they have refused.”
Photographs of the new build show how much work has progressed. It will replace existing modular buildings on the site on land between Cemetery Road and Cambridge Road.
Kirklees Council’s strategic director for growth and regeneration, David Shepherd, said: “There’s still work to be done, but things are on schedule to complete in time to welcome children back for the September term.”
The new school building will boast classrooms, a dining area and curriculum support spaces. There will also be expanded kitchen facilities and investment in play areas.
When it eventually opens Brambles will cater for 420 boys and girls aged four to 11.