Plans submitted to demolish and rebuild Leeds school
Pupils at Woodkirk Academy in Tingley will be taught in modernised buildings if planning permission can be secured.
Plans to demolish an ageing school and build new teaching facilities have been submitted to the council for approval.
Pupils at Woodkirk Academy in Tingley will be taught in modernised buildings if planning permission can be secured.
The academy on Rein Road was one of 234 schools in England identified as being built with Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
The lightweight material has a lifespan of around 30 years and was used between the 1950s and 1990s.
A three-storey teaching block and new sports facilities will be created at Woodkirk, part of the Leodis Academies Trust.
A design report by Willmott Dixon Construction said: “The existing facilities have reached the end of their life cycle, do not meet modern standards and contain RAAC concrete, which must be replaced.
“The proposed development involves the replacement of the entire school with a new, modern educational facility to meet the needs of pupils, rather than piecemeal refurbishment of existing buildings.”
The Department for Education (DfE) committed to fund the removal of RAAC in educational establishments.
The redevelopment of Woodkirk will carried out as part of the DfE’s national school re-building programme.
Classes will continue during the construction project, with the existing school building demolished once the new teaching block is completed.
The report said: “The development will be delivered in phases to allow the new school building to be constructed while the existing school and associated sports facilities remain operational.”
Woodkirk Academy has around 1,800 secondary and sixth-form pupils and employs more than 200 teachers and support staff.
The report said: “The proposed development will maintain the current pupil numbers and will support the existing and future educational needs for the area through the provision of enhanced teaching spaces.”
Pre-application discussions with Leeds City Council began in July 2025 and a public consultation was held.
A full planning application is out for consultation until July 13.