North Kirklees school deemed not “fit for purpose” to be demolished and rebuilt

Co-op Academy Smithies Moor, a primary school on Leeds Old Road in Heckmondwike, has received planning permission to demolish the existing building and rebuild.

The existing two-storey building will be replaced by a one-storey building, and plans include creating a forest school, hard and soft PE and play spaces, car and cycle parking, bin store, and other external works.

Inside, plans include creating two infant and four junior classrooms, and one SEN and one reception classroom.

Plans also include creating a nursery playroom, assembly hall, kitchen, library, staff room, toilets and coat rooms.

The new building is to accommodate up to 236 pupils, aged between three and 11 years old.

The decision report to the planning application explained the reasons behind the current building’s planned demolition.

It said: “The existing building is not considered to be fit for purpose and is financially exhaustive for the Co-op Academies Trust in terms of operational and maintenance costs.

“The redevelopment of the school is therefore being progressed by the DfE under the UK Government’s School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).”

“The proposal is also considered to improve the current education facilities, providing a better suited scale and quality of accommodation for the primary school, of low energy construction, when compared to what is there at present,” it added.

The existing two-storey building – which lies adjacent to Fairfield School – was previously used as a secondary school.

The full application can be viewed on the council’s planning portal by searching the application number 2025/62/92598/E.