Plans have been submitted to Bradford Council to prepare an historic school site to temporarily accommodate two new free schools in September.

The former Coral College site in Manningham Lane contains a Grade II-listed building and is intended to be used by the new Rainbow and Bradford Science Academy Free Schools.

Bradford Science Academy, formerly known as the King’s Science Academy, is a proposed secondary school supported by Alan Lewis CBE, the millionaire chairman of the Hartley Group, and led by Sajid Hussain, a teacher at Dixons Allerton Academy.

The Science Academy’s website says that its temporary home in the former Coral College building will contain 18 modern-furnished classrooms with on-site catering facilities. It is expected to open permanently in Northside Road, Lidget Green, in 2012 and will eventually be for up to 800 pupils.

Non-profit advisory group, Asian Trade Link Yorkshire Ltd, is behind the Rainbow Free School for four to 11-year-olds.

Detailed plans are being considered by the Council for the Manningham site, including the installation of new cast iron gates to the north west entrance, low-level fences to subdivide the playground and the general refurbishment and maintenance work including new toilets, showers, repainting of windows and the replacement of tiles and guttering.

According to architects’ design statements: “The proposed minor alterations seek to bring the school into use in September 2011 with a minimal impact scheme of improvements. In general these look to maintain the external elements to keep the building weather-tight.

“They also include the provision of the new wrought iron gates which seek to provide a proposal which enhances the building’s presence on to Manningham Lane using a style and paint colour to reflect those that would have been used for this period of building.”

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