Intervention call on academy rejected

Oct 23 2007 by Dave Black, The Journal

MINISTERS have rejected a Labour MP’s call for the Government to intervene in the decision-making process over controversial plans to create Northumberland’s first city academy school.

Blyth Valley MP Ronnie Campbell believes it is wrong to allow Northumberland County Council to decide whether planning permission should be granted for its joint application with the Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF) to build a £30m, all-age academy on two separate sites in Blyth.

Mr Campbell – supported by a number of his constituents in Blyth – has urged the Government to refer the bid to the Planning Inspectorate, so that an independent ruling can be made and the application taken out of the hands of the county council.

But he has now been told by Communities and Local Government Minister, Baroness Andrews, that the Government is happy for the decision to remain with the county council.

Baroness Andrews says it is a “common occurrence” for local authorities to determine their own applications for planning permission, in accordance with a code of conduct governing such situations.

Hundreds of people in Blyth have objected to the joint ESF/county council bid to build a 1,150-student senior academy at the former Ridley High School site and a 650-pupil junior academy at South Beach.

They fear their homes will be overlooked by large, new buildings and the new schools will worsen existing traffic and parking problems on residential streets.

Earlier this month county councillors deferred a decision on the bid for permission for the senior academy until concerns over the consultation process with residents have been examined.

They are due to discuss the junior academy application next month, but that has been formally opposed by Blyth Valley councillors.

Yesterday Mr Campbell said: “I wrote to the minister, Hazel Blears, asking her to call in these applications and make the decisions independently of the county council.

“I feel that would be the best way to do it because the county council has already backed the idea of an academy in Blyth and has an in-built interest.

“I have been turned down and, while I am disappointed by the response from Baroness Andrews, there is nothing more I can do.

“I don’t feel it is right for the county council to be deciding its own planning application because it just doesn’t look good to people,” he added.