A charity behind a city centre free school has announced its hope to open a new school in a planned urban village.

Bradford’s One In A Million is “gauging support” for a primary school in the New Bolton Woods development on the Canal Road corridor – an eco-village that will contain 1,200 homes, shops and sports and leisure facilities.

Bradford Council has teamed up with Urbo Regeneration Ltd for the scheme, which is expected to cost about £250 million.

Now the charity, which runs a secondary free school next to the Bradford City football club, says the village is its “preferred location” for a primary school which it wants to open in 2015.

The secondary, in the former Bantams club shop, officially opened last year. The charity has now asked parents to voice their support for the school by signing an “expression of interest” before the end of the month. If there is enough support for the school then it will press ahead with the plans.

The head of children’s services at Bradford Council, Councillor Ralph Berry, said the Council already had plans in place for a school as part of the New Bolton Woods scheme.

A statement for the charity said: “The school will offer a unique learning experience that is themed across sport, the arts and enterprise, framed around a connected and creative approach to learning.

“The One In A Million Primary School will build on the charity’s established, successful work in the disadvantaged communities of Bradford. Its secondary free school, based next to Bradford City AFC, already uses its outstanding facilities to work with children in and out of school.

One In A Million co-founder, former Bradford City footballer Wayne Jacobs, said: “Our charity values – compassion, honesty, integrity and excellence have been the driving force of the charity and its with great enthusiasm that we ask the people of Bradford to once again support us in this wonderful opportunity to create an outstanding primary school that serves to help raise the educational attainments in our great city.”

Coun Berry said: “This is the first stage of the free school process, and most don’t make it to the next stage.

“The Council is already looking at how we will meet any future school needs for that area, but we will look at any plans and comment on them at the appropriate stage.”

Work on the first 46 houses of the urban village started in October, and an application for further houses is expected in the coming weeks.

Parents have been urged to visit primary.oneinamillion. org.uk if they want to express an interest in sending their children to the proposed school.