TROUBLED Worcester primary school Elbury Mount could be bulldozed, it has emerged.

Under plans to regenerate the Brickfields area, Worcestershire County Council wants to bulldoze the old first school and replace it with new school buildings, up to 100 units of social housing and a nursery.

Cash generated from the housing would pay for the new school buildings - but only if the city council agrees to include the proposals in the Local Plan.

A lifelong learning centre is already being set up on the existing site in co-operation with Worcester College of Technology, which is planning to offer adult courses when the unit opens this Easter.

Colin Weeden, Worcestershire County Council's head of education policy development, said an application had been made to the New Opportunities Fund for cash to establish a community nursery on the site.

"We believe the package of proposals offers an exciting opportunity for partnership working which will greatly benefit both children and adults in the Brickfields area," he said.

Last night, at a city community services policy and review meeting, the county council asked Worcester City Council to take account of the proposals in its Local Plan review.

Mark Middleton, head of planning and economic development for the city, said the committee did not object to the plans, but warned a "long, tortuous" discussion process would have to be gone through before the executive board considered them on Tuesday, February 19.

The failing primary school faced closure in December, 1999, after Government league tables exposed it as the 13th worst in England.

Plagued with discipline problems, it had been struggling to come off Special Measures for 12 months.

The chairman of governors accused the county council of "social-cleansing and discrimination", parents branded education director Julien Kramer "Judas" and even the Diocese of

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From P1 / n Worcester considered stepping in to run the school.

But a massive campaign, spearheaded by parents, won the school an eleventh-hour reprieve in February, 2000. By May, 2000, it had been taken off special measures.

In July last year, dwindling numbers forced the school to halve in size. It will now become a one-form, rather than two-form entry.

Headteacher Kay Morgan remained tight-lipped about the plans today.

"We don't want to make any further comments until the proposals have been finalised and are closer to completion," she said.

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