Plans have been submitted to Bradford Council for new school buildings to house the city’s first free secondary school, which opened last year.

The Kings Free Schools and Academies Trust has applied for permission to alter, demolish and extend storage and distribution units in Northside Road, Lidget Green, in order to construct a permanent site for the Kings Science Academy.

The school, which aims to increase social mobility by providing young people from low-income backgrounds with the level of education needed to obtain places at leading universities and in top professions, has been running from a temporary site at the former Coral College building in Manningham Lane since opening to 140 11-year-olds in September.

The application’s design and access statement says the development will “act as a catalyst” to reverse long-term social and economic decline in the area, which consists of disused factories, brown-field sites and residential properties.

It adds: “The site has an elevated position and thus the proposals maximize views across the city, and ensure the academy will be highly visible from other areas.

“The proposed academy will provide a beacon for education in the community. The design provides a focal point for the building with a significant presence, set proudly within landscaped grounds that will help to enhance the local area and ensure the academy has a strong role as a social hub in the community.”

A report to the Council’s area planning panel, which will meet on Thursday, recommends the application be granted subject to a 106 legal agreement in relation to off-site highway works. It states, however, with regard to planning policies the school would not be seen as an appropriate form of development as it would be located within an employment zone.

Other sites considered included Princeroyd Way, Harris Court Mill, Greyhound Drive and Bartle Lane. Northside Road was considered to be the best option.