Kirklees says Lockwood’s iconic clock tower must go.

And the decision has angered campaigners battling to save the tower which is part of Mount Pleasant School.

Chris Marsden from Huddersfield Civic Society has condemned the authority after it decided it is not prepared to support a bid to keep the iconic structure if and when planning permission is granted to the government’s Education Funding Agency to demolish Mount Pleasant School and create a new one on the same site.

Mr Marsden, who organised a petition signed by 584 people to try save the Mount Street tower and has just received the decision letter from the council, said those concerned had taken far too long to respond and had failed to understand its historical importance.

But Kirklees Council says the tower, which rests on one of the school’s buildings that also functions as Lockwood Community Centre, has no real value and could not be kept. If it was, it could damage the school’s future.

The 80ft tower, which dates back to 1875 and is considered an iconic part of the local landscape, is part of the school campus which has been extended over the years but much of it is no longer fit for modern education.

Mr Marsden, said: “It’s poor that they don’t see saving it as important and I’m not happy that it’s taken them so long to respond to us as we submitted the petition on February 25.

“This has been really frustrating and in doing so they could effect what we are now able to do as a petition group next before a planning application for the rebuild is made.”

Chris Marsden, Chairman of the Huddersfield Civic Society.

In the response letter, a council spokeswoman outlined the reasons why it believes the tower has to be destroyed.

She said: “The total site clearance enables the EFA to position the new build school in the best place for future generations and to open up the grounds to be redeveloped in a more logical and useful way for the school. Keeping the clock tower building would constrain the redevelopment of the site and have an impact for decades as it would not be the best overall solution.

“The Lockwood Community Centre is not a listed building and the council’s conservation team do not believe that it is of listable quality.

“It has no national importance, there is nothing special about its architecture and it would probably not fulfil English Heritage’s selection guide for educational buildings.

“It is understandable that local people value the building and its history but the council agrees with EFA that the building’s demolition would open up the full redevelopment potential of the existing site and would provide the best long term solution.”

Mr Marsden now wants to begin further discussions with the other petition signers to see what steps they should take next before a pre-consultation meeting with developers and council staff is held at the school at some point during the next few months.

Anyone who signed the petition and would like to get in touch with Mr Marsden should email him at civicsocietyhd@gmail.com