Two Bradford school rebuilding projects with a total cost of £54 million should now be completed by 2012 after getting the go-ahead from the Government.

Funds have finally been released for the projects at Appleton Academy, Wyke, and Dixons Allerton Academy, Allerton.

They were among 21 school rebuilding or refurbishments halted when Education Secretary Michael Gove froze the £337m third phase of Bradford Council’s Building Schools for Future (BSF) programme.

Appleton Academy is sponsored by Bradford College. It replaced Wyke Manor School and High Fernley Primary School, which opened in September last year as an all-through academy on two sites.

Subject to Council planning approval, the £25m new-build will open on the grounds of High Fernley in September 2012, with construction starting in January next year. The new campus will also offer a public library.

Appleton Academy principal Dwayne Saxton said: “We’re excited at the opportunity to create a truly unique all-through three- to-19 academy in a state-of-the-art new school building that will provide an outstanding learning environment for the children and young people of our community.”

An application was submitted for the demolition of the existing buildings at Dixons Allerton Academy, Oaks Lane, in February. The former Rhodesway School reopened as an academy on the same site last September.

It is hoped to relocate students and staff to a £29 million building in 2012.

Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood (Lab, Little Horton) said: “We will continue to work with head teachers and other community leaders to ensure we make the strongest case possible to the Department for Education for future capital investment in other secondary schools in the district.”

Coun Adrian Naylor, education spokesman for the Conservative group, said: “Hopefully this is the first sign that Bradford’s business case is strong and robust enough to enable them to be brought to the fore because Bradford’s need to educate a growing population is almost unique in the country.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader and education spokesman for the Liberal Democrat group, was suspicious of the Government’s motives. She said: “We’re totally appalled at the preferential treatment from Whitehall being given to academies. Mr Gove said the BSF review was not intended to fund the academies but it clearly is.

“We will continue to fight on behalf of the children for our two desperately-needed special schools.”

Thirty-three local authority ‘sample’ school projects in 14 council regions have been given the all-clear, while 44 academies at the most advanced stage in their capital planning will receive capital immediately.