OAKBANK School’s controversial £16 million rebuild project has hit a major new hurdle.
It has been revealed this week changes may have to be made to the building plans following a request to grant listed building status to part of the existing campus.
Historic England has for the past four months been assessing an application to give the status to Haggas House, the oldest part of the existing school.
Haggas House, along with the rest of the school’s existing buildings, is due to be demolished once a new school complex is built on the adjacent sports grounds.
The Department of Education, which is funding the rebuild, this week confirmed efforts are being made to ensure the rebuild project still goes ahead.
A spokesman said: “We’re working with the developers to mitigate the effects of any listing decision and get round whatever the implications are.”
Oakbank headteacher, David Maxwell, said building work had been due to begin this Christmas, but he had no idea when a decision would be made on the Haggas House application.
He said: “This is a complex project with lots of different factors.
“Haggas House has been put forward to be listed and we are just waiting on the decision. Once a decision comes through, we will look at a range of options.”
Haggas House, formerly the home of Keighley Boys Grammar School, currently houses Oakbank School’s reception and offices.
The rebuild project hit its first stumbling block in January when more than 100 people objected amid fears the work could cause Airedale Hockey Club to fold because the pitches it uses would be out of action during the two-year construction process.
Cllr Kath Bacon, whose Keighley West ward includes Oakbank School, this week questioned the late timing of the listed building application.
She said: “I hope this application is not being done maliciously, as a ploy by someone against the project.
“I’m all for preserving buildings if they have historic importance or architectural beauty. Listed buildings can be pretty, but it’s not as important as children’s education.
“I think Keighley really deserves a state-of-the-art school with fantastic facilities, and Oakbank is central to that. I would hope it’s refurbished and rebuilt on time.”
A spokesman for Historic England this week confirmed Oakbank School had been assessed following a listing application, and there is an in applications for a Certificate of Immunity from listing.
She added: “Our advice will be going to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as soon as possible. It is DCMS which makes the decision on listing.”
Michael Jameson, strategic director of children’s services with Bradford Council, said he is very keen for the project to go ahead swiftly because the new school building would benefit large numbers of students at Oakbank for many years to come.
He added: “We are encouraging the Education Funding Agency to resolve any issues with their plans as quickly as possible and we will continue to support the school throughout the process.”
The new Oakbank School campus, part of the Government’s Priority Schools Building Programme, was due to be ready for occupation in September 2017. New sports facilities will include a county-size hockey pitch.