A petition has been launched against a major school development in Walsall, with a local campaigner describing it as the 'last stand' to prevent a three-storey school being built at Reedswood Park.
Opposition to the Scheme
The £50 million scheme, delivered by the Department for Education, will involve the destruction of 13.7 acres of woodland. Vehicle access for the school will be from Reedswood Lane, a narrow residential road off the busy Four Crosses junction with Bentley Lane. The proposal has proven deeply unpopular among residents and political groups.
Shokt Fazal, vice-chair of the community group Birchills Agenda 21, has called on local residents to sign the petition to stop the government 'overriding local wishes'. He said: 'Sadly we've been let down by the democratic process. This school will be the biggest pink elephant since Labour bought the Saddlers Centre. This is the last stand against over-development in the area.'
Fazal added: 'Sadly for us the project has been cloak and dagger since 2023 when we first got wind of it. It's been a mutually agreed secret between the DfE and the current government and we have found out at the last hour. We've been stitched up by the current government. There's £50 million of investment coming in but it's not going to help the local population at all, only the elite of academy trusts. But sadly the people of Birchills will have to live with it.'
Alternative Sites Suggested
Fazal argued that other sites, such as Sneyd Comprehensive on Vernon Way, the former Hawbush Centre in Leamore, and Manor Farm on King George Crescent, should be used before destroying green spaces. He also questioned why the money was not used to upgrade and expand existing schools.
'This is just another legacy project,' he said. 'With the current data that I've looked at, the birth rate is declining so unless Keir Starmer's abolition of the two-child policy is going to kick in, it's going to be a pink elephant. Once this school is built, another in Walsall will close. It'll be E-Act West Walsall Academy.'
He urged: 'Just listen to the local residents. You can't beat local engagement. But sadly the government overrides local wishes. If you want to make change, you've got to engage. It's always left the same old faces to fight the battle. This is a last stand and nobody can say Birchills Agenda 21 is not the voice of the local community.'
Response from the Department for Education
The Department for Education was unable to comment on the petition due to pre-election period restrictions. However, it stated that the former Reedswood golf course was identified as 'the only viable option' and that the Sneyd site was reviewed but deemed unsuitable. It added that local residents and statutory bodies will be consulted by the appointed contractor prior to a full planning application, which is expected to be submitted in early May.
