Walsall Labour MP demands answers from government on controversial school project
Ms Vaz said the response to the question should be available on Friday, November 13.
The MP for Walsall and Bloxwich has called on the government to clarify its position on a controversial school project.
Valerie Vaz tabled a question to education secretary Lucy Powell on November 10, asking what steps she plans to take on the future of Windsor Apollo Academy.
The Department for Education had planned to build a £50million free school on 13.7 acres of woodland at Reedswood Park.
Residents and campaigners had fiercely objected to the use of the site on the grounds of habitat destruction, loss of open green space, and traffic concerns in the already congested area.
Despite huge opposition, the Labour government’s DfE persisted with the use of the site and submitted an application to Walsall Council in July this year.
It was hoped that construction would be completed in time for the Windsor Academy Trust to open the school for year sevens in September 2027.
However, permission was refused by Walsall Council’s planning committee in September 2026 on the grounds of highways, loss of trees, ecology and amenity of local residents.
Last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the DfE whether it planned to appeal the refusal, look at alternative sites or pull the £50million funding altogether, but no response was provided.
On November 10, Labour MP Valerie Vaz asked the education secretary: “What assessment she has made of the decision by Walsall MBC to refuse planning permission for the proposed Apollo Academy in Reedswood Park and what steps she plans to take following that decision.”
Ms Vaz said the response to the question should be available on Friday, November 13.
Earlier this month Ms Vaz also presented a petition to parliament calling for a more appropriate site for the £50million school to be considered. It had been signed by over 2000 residents.
Mark Webster, chair of Save Reedswood Park, said: “More than 2,000 people have made their views clear. We believe the Department for Education must listen and withdraw its interest in Reedswood Green.
“It is unusual for a local group like ours to petition Parliament, but we believe this is the only way to get the department to hear us. We have tried repeatedly to share local people’s views and have not even received an acknowledgement.
“We are grateful to Valerie Vaz for supporting our campaign and presenting the petition. We now expect a response from the Department for Education.”
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.