Plan for new school in south Warwickshire is rejected

Baginton Green Ltd applied to Warwick District Council to build the free school on green belt land behind Holly Walk - three years after a previous application for a larger premises was denied permission.

But this time, officials had encouraged councillors to vote in favour of the school, aimed primarily at children within the Brethren Fellowship sect of Christianity, but open to children of other and no religious faiths. The idea was to replace a school that is currently split between two overcrowded sites.

Planning officer Rob Young said: “National planning guidelines state that greater weight should be given to the need to create, expand and alter schools.

“There is an urgent need for a new school because the school’s current facilities are cramped, outdated and wholly inadequate.”

The previous application was refused as it was seen as inappropriate for green belt land and too close to the Grade I listed church of John the Baptist and Baginton Castle.

On Tuesday night, councillors on the planning committee voted against this latest application due to the unknown extent of contamination of the site and the unknown associated risks to human health.

Speaking after the meeting, Baginton Green Ltd’s managing director Rupert Nelson, said: “We are disappointed. We need to review our position to see what our options are.”