Todmorden: Plans to rebuild historic primary school revealed

A building to replace the existing Castle Hill School would use renewable energy solutions

A primary school built in Todmorden in 1912 will be replaced by a new building if plans are approved.

Lessons at Castle Hill School on Halifax Road would move to a building in a local park during work.

The project would be funded by the Department for Education through the school rebuilding programme.

Planning documents state the original building has a "significant lean" and has suffered water damage.

The current school has 210 primary pupils, 26 nursery pupils and 30 members of staff

The proposals published by Castle Hill School state a temporary school would be established to house children on what was the old pitch and putt site in Centre Vale Park.

The replacement project would be delivered by construction company Galliford Try, with the temporary building in use for about 18 months, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Documents announcing the proposals state much of the original building has deteriorated to such a degree that the building is "no longer fit for purpose".

They also highlight the need for props to support the upper floors of the old building, with external walls significantly leaning due to "long term foundation settlement issues".

The replacement building would be a part two-storey, part one-storey, with a stone front in keeping with the local setting, equipped to minimise energy demand.

The temporary school would be cleared and the site restored to its existing grassland once the new school was built.

There will be three drop-in sessions held to discuss the plans at Castle Hill School on 19 February at 16:00 to 19:00 GMT, at Todmorden High School on 22 February between 16:00 and 18:30 GMT and at Todmorden College on 27 February between 18:00 and 20:00 GMT.