Hednesford primary school build left up in the air as planners delay making a decision for a second time

Plans for the proposed new school at Pye Green Road, in Hednesford, have now twice been deferred by planning bosses over concerns of a lack of parking for parents.

Staffordshire County Council, which is behind the scheme for the 210-place school and nursery, had hoped the plans would be approved in May.

But after they were initially put off until a meeting on Wednesday, they were were postponed again this week.The county council says it asked for the plans to be deferred a second time so 'meaningful discussions' can take place over the parking.

Cannock Chase councillors want the county council to include parking for parents picking up and dropping off their children but the council argues there is no room and it is not its policy.

The authority also argues there is no need for the extra parking given the school is being built to accommodate children from a new housing estate within walking distance.

Parking will be built for staff and teachers as it stands.

Councillor Alan Dudson, who sits on Cannock Chase District Council’s planning committee, said: “The plans were deferred again on Wednesday because a planning officer was not able to attend and we needed him there to find out why there cannot be any parking for parents.

“I am not the only councillor with concerns over it, a few are worried about the parking.”

Hednesford Town Council has not objected to the plans but has said it was ‘extremely concerned’ about the parking issue.

Previously, George Adamson, leader of the town council, said the ‘only concern’ he had about the school was the parking, adding: “We need the new school with the houses that are being built but we need to make sure the children get there safe.”

The school has been hailed as much needed in the past to help find school places for a major 142-acre housing development on nearby land. St Modwen, the developer behind the mammoth scheme, is looking to build around 700 homes in the area, which has led to the need for the school.

County Councillor Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: “We requested for the plans to be deferred until we could conduct meaningful discussions on the parking issue, before bringing it back to planning committee.

"As the application is a ‘reserved matters’ application, this will not delay the construction of the school.”