Hundreds of Daventry people sign petition to stop new free school being built on Eastern Way

West Northants Cllr Wendy Randall (Daventry West) is campaigning to stop the school, which she says is 'in in the wrong place at the wrong time'.

She told The Gusher: "Having a school build on Eastern Way is an absolute no. It's in the wrong place and it's the wrong time.

"When 329 people sign an online petition in 24 hours it speaks volumes."

Cllr Randall said ‘never give up while there is still hope’.

"When we campaigned to save Daventry Ambulance Station we had the public behind us and we got the decision overturned," she added.

"The public are once again behind us on this campaign. Eastern Way is totally the wrong location.

"To have four schools and two nurseries within a stone's throw of each other already creates traffic problems. To add another school with over 1,000 pupils would be madness."

The new 1,050-space secondary school could be built on Eastern Way and be run by the Tove Learning Trust.

Site assessments for what would be called Sponne School Daventry are now taking place.

Cllr Randall said: "Eastern Way is a valuable piece of land. I'm against losing that beautiful open space and I would go against anything being built on there, unless it was some kind of park."

Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris said getting a free school into the town is important.

He said: "Since the idea of 'free schools' came about I’ve been keen to encourage one to come to Daventry.

"I know the site that is currently being talked about is controversial; indeed, it would absolutely not have been my first choice. However, for me the future of education in Daventry is an extremely important matter and this multi-million-pound investment could and should be ground-breaking - and so I support it."