CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new primary school in Chester have been blasted as unnecessary.
Community group Chester Free School Alliance (CFSA) are campaigning to create Newtown Community Primary School, which would serve up to 60 pupils.
Organisers say there is growing demand to create a school which is more accessible to parents and responsive to local needs.
However, former city MP Christine Russell, who is governor of the newly amalgamated Chester Blue Coat CE Primary School, said the community of Newtown was already well-served.
She said: “I do not see any need for this new free school whatsoever. The community in Newtown is already well-served by the new Blue Coats CE Primary School.
“They are now building a new state-of-the-art primary school. Construction is about to begin. There are plenty of places for the children of Newtown as well as Garden Lane and the city centre.
“This is also at a time when local authorities are being forced to cut their budgets. I believe the backers are claiming there has been a lot of new housing, but this has predominantly been one or two bedroom flats, not family homes.”
Mrs Russell, who is also an LEA governor and a former councillor for the Newtown ward, added: “We had an open evening and not a single parent from Newtown raised concerns about the journey to school. It was all carried out anonymously.
“There was very positive feedback. It should also be highlighted there are crossing attendants to help pupils cross the road.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Maund, from CFSA, said: “We are not intending in any way to conflict with Blue Coat Primary School.
“We did go to see Cheshire West and Chester Council to discuss admission policies and they talked to us about catchment areas, and that school in particular because of its proximity to us.
“This is something we are looking at. However, we do not see this Newtown school as a threat. We’re not talking about 200 to 300 pupils. We expect 30 in the first year and 60 pupils after that.”
Consultations are currently ongoing for the proposal, which could open as early as September 2013.
Blue Coat CE Primary School was formed last year following the amalgamation of the former Victoria Infant School and St Thomas of Canterbury Blue Coat CE Junior School, which was based at the same site.
The school currently occupies the existing two buildings on the shared site, but construction is set to begin for a replacement £5.8million timber-framed school building on the existing playing field.