The team behind the proposed Bradford District Free School has been left “deeply disappointed” after its plans were turned down by the Department of Education.

Education Secretary Michael Gove announced in Parliament yesterday that 55 more Free schools will be given the go-ahead, including three in the Bradford district. They include Dixons City Free Primary and Secondary Schools and One in a Million Free Secondary School.

Free schools are all-ability, state-funded schools set up in response to what local people say they want and need to improve education in their community.

Reasons for turning the Bradford District School down included not high enough levels of command and not enough business backing, according to principal proposer and Bradford teacher Gerard Liston.

That was despite Bradford Breakthrough, an organisation comprising representatives from the public and private sector which supports job creation and economic development, supporting the project.

“We are deeply disappointed, not just for ourselves, but for Bradford,” Mr Liston said. “We find it astonishing that they didn’t think we had enough business support for the proposals.”

“We are not just throwing in the towel now. I will speak to parents and business people because there may be another way of doing something innovative in education.”

He had earmarked the Grade II listed Douglas Mill, off Manchester Road, as a possible site for the school.

Read more on this story in today's T&A