Council urged to approve primary school rebuild

A council has been urged to approve plans to demolish and replace an "ageing" primary school in a West Yorkshire village.

The proposals for Sharlston Community School in Sharlston Common near Wakefield also include improvements to the car park, creating new playing fields and installing a multi-use games area (MUGA).

They would form part of the government's school rebuilding plan, according to Wakefield Council.

However Sport England has objected to the scheme due to the new building being constructed on part of the school's existing playing field.

A council report said the project aimed to "replace ageing and deteriorating school buildings at the end of their useful life".

Addressing Sport England's concerns, it said: "It should be noted that a new area of playing with a MUGA would then be constructed on land to the south of the site following the demolition of the existing school building.

"Whilst the concerns raised by Sport England are noted, in this instance, weight is attached to the large amount of the existing playing field which is proposed to be retained to the north of the site, which is also used as a rugby pitch.

"It is understood that the inclusion of this results in a significantly greater provision of playing field area than the minimum required."

Two further objections have been submitted by local residents raising concerns over traffic and parking during the building work.

But comments have also been submitted in favour of the scheme, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Planning officers have recommended the scheme be given the go-ahead when the authority's planning and highways committee meets on 11 December.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.