A derelict middle school could be demolished and homes built on the site, if plans submitted to Bradford Council are approved.

An application for 23 detached four-bedroom homes has been submitted by Magellan Residential Limited for the former Nab Wood Middle School site, in New Close Road, Shipley.

The site has been abandoned for the past four years since Education Bradford's reorganisation of the district's schools.

Since then it has become a magnet for vandals and arsonists, and there was a massive fire at the school two years ago.

Councillor Martin Love (Green, Shipley) said: "The majority of residents are probably glad to see something done with the site.

"We asked for the building to be demolished when it closed but the education department refused to do so on the grounds of the cost. Since then there have been several fires and it has attracted vandalism and become a real eyesore."

He said the playing fields at the back of the school were protected and would remain in community use. He added he would be asking the developers to pay for a playground, and to do something about an unadopted stretch of New Close Road which had fallen into disrepair.

The plans show 23 detached, two-storey dwellings with large gardens. A new road will provide access and 40 parking spaces will be provided.

In a report to the Council, the developer's agent Sanderson Weatherall says: "The development proposal seeks to remove existing stark, utilitarian buildings and substantial areas of hardstanding to be replaced with a sensitive and high quality new build residential scheme."

Val Pelleschi, of community group Nab Wood Together, said: "We have been waiting long enough. We have looked at having a community centre there but to be quite honest no-one was able to take it up.

"It would have been nice to have some kind of community facility there but in the end people seemed to accept housing was best for the site."

She said she hoped the developers would take into account the local environment, particularly the stream that ran through the site, which became blocked when it rained heavily and flooded the road, and also traffic issues, especially the increase in vehicles using the junction with the A650.

A flood risk assessment has been carried out, which will be taken into account when Shipley Area Planning Panel considers the application.

In 2002 medical company Nektar Therapeutics, formerly Bradford Particle Design, had considered using the site for its research and administration departments and Bradford Council also considered building a children's home there.

Steve Day, managing director of the Shipley-based developers, said if planning permission was granted work on the site would start early next year.

He said the homes would probably be built in stone and slate.

He said: "We are keen to do it because there has been quite a lot of vandalism of the school, which is in a dangerous state."