An historic clock tower has been saved from the demolition crews set to flatten Mount Pleasant School.
The Lockwood based primary is to be rebuilt after Kirklees Council secured £10m of government cash for a new school.
But the future of the 1875 built tower had been unknown.
A campaign to save the 80ft tall Victorian landmark has been running for years with its future looking uncertain.
But the tower has now been spared from the bulldozers that will soon move in to demolish the school – dubbed one of the 250 worst school buildings in Britain.
Planners came up with a compromise to build the new school around it and Kirklees will continue to own and maintain it.
Kirklees Council leader Clr David Sheard confirmed the council had lifted the threat but admitted they did not know what to do with it yet.
Chris Marsden, chairman of Huddersfield Civic Society, said it was “magnificent” news and congratulated the council on finding a way to save the much loved landmark.
Councillors on the Strategic Planning Committee unanimously approved the plan to replace the school after hearing from acting headteacher Naeem Nazir.
Mrs Nazir said pupils and teachers had endured repeated floods and leaks from the roof, forcing them to teach lessons in the corridor.
She said: “We have been patient and we’re looking forward to a new school that will bring us all together.
“We’re looking forward to quality classrooms and greater and safer play areas.”
Carole Pattison said: “I know the school well and I know how awful it is – it’s a terrible space to use as a school.
“I think this is a wonderful compromise which hopefully will be achieved very shortly.”
The re-build will happen with all the staff and pupils on site.
A plan to create a temporary school for the 600 pupils was abandoned last March after the predicted costs rose to almost £4m.
The £10m school will be built in stages while pupils are taught from temporary buildings on the games area.
Work will begin in September and take about 20 months, completing in time for start of the 2018 school year.
