BRADFORD Council had to go back to the drawing board to design a primary school expansion, after the initial design was deemed “too expensive.”

The authority had chosen Stocks Lane Primary School as one of several schools that would take on extra pupils to ease pressure on school places in the district.

To accommodate the extra pupils, the school building would be expanded, and in February 2016 a striking design was approved for the expanded facilities.

However, the council has now submitted a second planning application for the school, revealing that the initial design had proved too expensive to build.

The new scheme does not include the curved, decorative entrance, opting instead for a more angular design.

Partial expansion work has already been completed to allow space for the extra students, but work has yet to be completed.

The new planning application says: “The scheme went out to tender, but was found to be too expensive.

“A value engineering exercise needed to be undertaken; this application is the product of that process.”

In 2015 the Council announced that Stocks Lane Primary School would soon start taking in 30 pupils a year. The increase in admission numbers meant that over the next few years the school, which is the only primary school in Clayton Heights, will grow from 105 pupils to 210.

The full application that has been submitted for the school is for a single and two storey extension to the north of the building, which includes a new entrance, classrooms, staff accommodation and ancillary rooms, internal refurbishment of existing spaces, extra visitor and disabled parking and a multi use games area for school use to the north of the site

The application adds: “The proposed scheme was designed with a tree house concept in mind, and how the children, parents and teachers can interact with the building in a fun and inspiring way.

“The proposed school extension is contemporary in design, and has been inspired also by the new school branding of a tree with children sat reading below it.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “Bradford Council is committed to ensuring schools across the district can meet the demand for places. The authority has created more than 8,500 primary school places since 2010.

“Stocks Lane Primary School is expanding from a 0.5 form entry, taking 15 new pupils each September, to a one form entry, taking 30 new pupils each September, and this application is for the second phase of work required to provide the school with the accommodation to meet its needs.”

A decision on the latest application is due to be made next month.