Councillors are demanding answers today after Coventry City Council seemed to confirm that negotiations are taking place to sell land at the Woodlands Academy site. The surprise announcement was made in a memo sent to councillors regarding a review of polling stations.
With the closure of the school, the Council needs to find a new location for residents to vote at election time. Buried at the back of the document, the memo says; ‘Woodlands Academy: School closed and land in negotiations to be sold - Look for alternative location.’
The closure of the school was announced earlier this year and from September pupils will be attending Tile Hill Wood school. However, there’s understood to be a legal covenant requiring the site to be used for educational purposes. As such, councillors representing Woodlands Ward were hopeful that the site could be retained for educational use in the future.
Under Department for Education rules the site defers to the local authority two years after closure of the academy. Despite repeated requests from residents and councillors the Council has refused to declare its intentions on the future of the site.
Commenting on the situation, Cllr Peter Male said; ‘We’ve been asking the Council to clarify its plans for the site for months and officers have refused to give us any answers. Now, at the back of a seemingly innocuous memo about polling stations they’ve let the cat out of the bag. The Council needs to come clean about its intentions for this site and we’ll be asking for an immediate briefing to find out what officers know - using the Freedom of Information act if necessary.’
Fellow Woodlands Councillor, Cllr Gary Ridley said; ‘The current situation is unacceptable - We’d like to see education returned to the Woodlands Academy site at some point in the future. It should be a centre of learning for the community and I’d support any plans for a quality educational facility there. However, this memo specifies plans to sell off and develop the site. It feels like the Council has slammed the door closed on the prospect of education ever returning to this site, it’s appalling.’
Deeply concerned, Cllr Julia Lepoidevin said; ‘This announcement will come as more unsettling news for local residents. First the Council announced plans to develop the greenbelt, then Solihull Council proposed land on the edge of Broad Lane for development and now this! Residents will be very anxious if there’s a secret plan to sell off the Woodlands Academy site. The Council seems intent to develop every scrap of land remaining in our ward – will we still be able to call this area Eastern Green?’