EDUCATION chiefs and environmental campaigners are at loggerheads over proposals to build a new girls’ school on green belt land in Stourbridge.

The News reported last month how Old Swinford Hospital – one of the few remaining state boarding schools for boys in the country – was applying to open a girls’ day and boarding school.

The school would be the first of its kind in England but concerns have been raised over its proposed location on Norton Road, with OSH headmaster Paul Kilbride confirming plans to build on green belt land.

Mr Kilbride said: “It’s a potential site that has been identified by the Foundation on Norton Road. That site would be within green belt land.

“It is only a potential site because of the process – the Secretary of State for Education could approve the plans but say we have to build it in Lye. Ultimately, the government has the final say.

“But where we are at the moment is we are consulting with a group of planners about whether, in special circumstances, a school could be built on green belt land.

“We know there has been a precedent set for this elsewhere.

“We would encourage people to engage with us. If enough people genuinely think it’s a really bad idea, we would probably step back.

“But a lot of the feedback we have had is that people are in favour of the plan for the school, that they think it is a brilliant idea.”

Stourbridge Green Belt say they are not against the building of the school per se – they just oppose its construction on green belt land.

A spokesperson for Stourbridge Green Belt said: “Our problem is not about the building of the school itself, it is about where the school is to be built.

“We would advise people to get in touch with the school and tell them of their concerns. We have had local people contact us and say they are against this proposal.

“Playing fields, for example, would be an acceptable development of green belt land – a school build would not.

“One of the purposes of Green Belt land is the prevention of urban sprawl. It should not be built on unless there are exceptional circumstances – and these are not exceptional circumstances.”

Public meetings to discuss the plans are being held at the school this week, tonight (Monday, July 16, 7pm), Wednesday morning (July 18, 10am) and on Thursday evening (July 19, 7pm).