GOVERNORS at a Kidderminster school are rallying parents and neighbouring residents to object to plans to build a residential block for children with autism on the playing field.
The governors of St John’s CE Primary School support the building of the block for the town’s new special school – but not on their school field.
They are angry that the public notice asking for any objections published last week makes no reference to the current preferred option – the school’s playing field, fronting on to Blakebrook.
Governors chairman, Rev Derek Arnold, said: “The county council has taken our pleas on board to conduct a full option appraisal of the whole Habberley Learning Village site, which will take six weeks – the same length of time as the public have to lodge any objections.
“Our fear is that if the council decides in favour of the current preferred option and the public have not been made aware of what that is, then they will have no chance to object.”
St John’s was to be rebuilt as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project on the current Baxter College site and although that has now been stopped by the Government, the plan for the residential block currently still stands and the county council wants to start the building work next April.
Rev Arnold said: “We acknowledge the urgent need for such a facility and the financial benefits for the county, which we accept and support. However, our principal concern is the disruption to the learning of our pupils, should the so-called preferred option proceed, both during the construction and afterwards, along with the loss of amenity.”
The governors are urging the county council to consider building the block on other possible areas within the Habberley Learning Village campus, where the special school is to be built.
The closing date for responses to is July 30 and the cabinet will decide the issue in September. Comments on the plan should be sent to Schools’ Information and Planning, County Hall, PO Box 73, Worcester, WR5 2YA or by email to rjwilliams@worcestershire.gov.uk
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