Councillors have refused to allow a Bradford church to demolish one of the most significant school buildings in the country, saying the loss of an important piece of the city’s heritage would be a “tragedy.”

Life Church’s plans to demolish the former Wapping Road School and build a college building linked to the church and accommodation block in its place went before Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee yesterday. Historic England, heritage officers and the Victorian Society had all objected to the proposal, and planning officers had recommended the committee refuse the plans.

After a lengthy discussion about the church’s plan, members were about to refuse the scheme, but instead offered the church the chance to withdraw it, and come back with a scheme that would better protect the heritage of the Grade II listed site. The church agreed, meaning it now has to go back to the drawing board with its plans.

Built in 1877, Wapping School was the first in the country to have its own swimming pool, and played a central role in Margaret and Rachel McMillan’s efforts to improve conditions of children in the country’s schools. It also played a central role in the formation of free school meals. Since it shut as a school in 2000, if has fallen derelict and suffered numerous arson attacks.

The applications discussed by Councillors yesterday would be for the demolition of the listed building and an outline scheme to replace it. More detailed plans would be submitted at a later date.

Although officers were supportive of the site being used for education again, they raised concerns that there was, as of yet, no design for what the proposed new building would look like.

Heritage officer Jon Ackroyd said: “The Council has a duty to protect its heritage buildings. We cannot underestimate this duty, it has to be one of our primary concerns. Our heritage assets are hugely valuable, because once they are gone, they’re gone. There has been a lot of public concern in Bradford about the future of heritage buildings. They have seen the Priesthorpe Annex in Bingley, seen the demolition of Cherry Tree Farm, of the Interfaith Centre in Listerhills. There is a lot of public concern over the loss of heritage buildings.”

Councillor Imran Khan, speaking in support of the plans, said the application should be judged on its own merits, and it was “unfair” to refer to other recently demolished heritage buildings. He said the church’s plan was the “best chance” to regenerate the area.

Pastor Steve Gambill said the church attracted 2,500 people to that part of Bradford to worship. He said the school building was in a “shocking” state, and a magnet for crime, with drug dealing, rape and even murders happening around the school. The church bought the building in 2015, and he added: “This development will help lift the area. If we forced to spend more money on this development it will push the charity to breaking point. Let us use this site to build future leaders for Bradford.”

Councillor Simon Cooke (Cons, Bingley Rural), said: “I think if we are going to lose a heritage building we need to be a lot more confident about what is going to replace it. This site is visible from almost anywhere in the city, and I don’t have any idea what the building to replace it will look like.

“Despite its state, it is a very attractive building and it would be a tragedy to lose it.”

Chair of the committee Councillor David Warburton (Lab, Wyke) said: “I would have loved to have seen some sort of plan that used the building’s facade. As it is it doesn’t meet the tests needed to demolish a listed building, I can’t see how we can approve this.”

After agreeing to withdraw the application, the church was urged to resubmit plans that retained more of the historic building, which the committee would look more favourably on.