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Protesters vent anger at plans for new primary school for Wolverhampton Grammar

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Protesters were out in force to object to plans for a new primary school to be built as part of Wolverhampton Grammar school.

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Concerned parents and residents who live near to where the proposed development would be made their voices heard both outside the Wolverhampton council building and during a planning committee meeting on Tuesday.

The plans were deferred for further traffic and environmental assessments to be carried out, although some councillors requested that the application be outright refused.

Under the proposals a primary school would be built to accommodate 264 pupils aged four to eight years old.

The building would include 12 classrooms, a school hall and administrative space, over two storeys. The front of the school would be on Gamesfield Green, with two car parks created along the same Green.

Highway improvements would need to be made to the Merridale Road, Gamesfield Green and Aspen Way junction to enable access to and from the site, as traffic would intensify in those areas, according to the submitted plans.

Anger – protesters outside Wolverhampton council

Play areas and a five-aside football pitch with artificial flood lighting was also proposed.

A total of 63 letters of objection were received over the plans, including an objection from Councillor Craig Collingswood.

In a letter he raised fears over traffic problems, environmental issues and highlighted the concerns of constituents in Merridale, Finchfield, Bradmore and Compton, who were worried about how properties would be overlooked.

Objections were made on the grounds of the site having insufficient parking to accommodate the new development, particularly at peak times, that the proposal is detrimental to highway and pedestrian safety and that there would be a loss of open space.

A total of 28 conditions were set on the proposal, which must be met in order for the development to be approved.

Councillor Harman Banger said: "This is a phenomenal amount of conditions."

An artist's impression of what the school would look like

And Councillor Mike Hardacre said: "Traffic is already an absolute nightmare in the area. Residents have come to me to say that hedgehogs live the area where the development will happen, as well as owls, starlings, hummingbirds. Where is the environmental report on this?

"Residents are sceptical about any benefits to the local community. It is my view that this building in its current design is entirely wrong. If this was an industrial development we'd have some serious questions about what is being put forward."

Other objections to the site were made about the poor design of the development.

Noise, disturbance, loss of outlook and privacy were also concerns, as well as external lighting from the proposed artificial pitch and possible anti-social behaviour arising from the building of the site.

Councillor Keith Inston suggested that the plans should be refused rather than deferred, on the basis of the objections. His comments were met with applause from residents and parents. He said: "I have very grave misgivings about it. The access to the site and the traffic problems are a disaster waiting to happen.

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"I would refuse this application as even if we come back with another traffic management report, it is just not going to work.

"This is one of the first applications I have seen, having sat on this committee for a number of years where not one councillor around this table has supported it."

However, the decision on the plans was deferred as Councillor Wendy Thompson pointed out: "As this has been recommended for acceptance, I think the authority would find the matter more difficult if we decide to reject. If we do reject, the applicant has a right to appeal and then the authority either wins or loses.

"We should obtain further reports on this because there is a huge demand for school places in Wolverhampton and I think we are going to see schools with similar issues coming in."

Phillip Simms, of Wolverhampton Grammar School, said: "We are part of the fabric of Wolverhampton and are an important part of its future.

"We employ over 200 staff and if the new school is established there will be another 30."