Forecasts indicate an increase in the number of pupils at Ilkley primary schools and Ilkley Grammar School in future, say district education heads.

The latest schools places data has backed up concerns about overcrowding at Ilkley schools – and Bradford Council is expecting pupils numbers to rise further.

The figures appear in a report prepared by Bradford Council’s Education Client Team for planning officers as part of consultation over the planning application for 33 new houses at the former Ilkley Middle School site.

The statistics show two current above-capacity year groups at Ilkley Grammar – and the combined populations of Ilkley’s four primary schools are above official capacity in several of the year groups.

Council officers draw up reports for housing developments, indicating the cash contributions needed from housing developers to provide sufficient education places for new residents.

Using a standard formula, they say more than £130,000 will be needed for education provision if the homes are built.

Bradford Council itself wants to develop the houses on the Valley Drive site as part of a £12.4 million affordable housing push across the Bradford District.

The report said: “Based on data available as at October 2012, current capacity in these primary schools is already being exceeded in some year groups and allowing for the desire to operate at 95 per cent occupancy to allow for population changes this is being exceeded in all year groups.

“Overall these schools are overcrowded now and future forecasts show an increasing pupil population.”

And the report points out Ilkley Grammar is the only secondary school within the Bradford Metropolitan District “reasonably accessible” from the proposed Valley Drive development.

It says Ilkley Grammar is currently overcrowded and an increasing pupil population is forecast.

There have previously been calls to leave the Bradford Council-owned Ilkley Middle School site undeveloped until a solution has been found for the expansion of Ilkley Grammar.

A number of Ben Rhydding residents have objected to the housing plans, with concerns about drainage, traffic, loss of residential amenity, loss of privacy and a loss of right and public access.