Raac-affected school to be demolished and rebuilt

Plans have been drawn up to demolish an ageing school built with potentially unsafe concrete and replace it with a new building.

Woodkirk Academy in Tingley was one of 234 schools in England found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which can deteriorate over time and pose a structural risk.

If approved by Leeds City Council, the plans would see a three-storey teaching block and new sports facilities built at the academy on Rein Road.

A design report by Willmott Dixon Construction said the existing facilities had "reached the end of their life cycle" and did not meet modern standards.

"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," it said.

Raac has a lifespan of around 30 years and was used between the 1950s and 1990s as a lightweight construction material.

In August 2023, more than 100 schools, colleges and nurseries in England were forced to shut when the Raac in the properties was found to be dangerous.

The Department for Education (DfE) committed to fund the removal of Raac in educational establishments in February 2024.

The redevelopment of Woodkirk, which is part of the Leodis Academies Trust, will be carried out as part of the DfE's national school re-building programme, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The design report said classes would continue during the construction project, with the existing school building demolished once the new teaching block was finished.

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