A PUBLIC consultation is being held tomorrow over plans to build a new housing development on the old Longlands School site in Stourbridge.

Persimmon Homes is holding the event at St James’ Church Hall in Belfry Drive, Wollaston, on Wednesday April 17 from 4pm to 7.30pm.

The developers are resubmitting plans for the former school site in the Old Quarter after the council’s planning committee rejected an initial scheme for 59 homes in January this year.

The revised scheme that has been drawn up is for 52 homes, according to a leaflet sent to residents living near the old school and art college site off Brook Street - which is owned by Birmingham Metropolitan College.

Labour’s candidate in the forthcoming election, Cat Eccles, says she continues to oppose the plan due to traffic fears and concerns over wildlife on the site plus worries about the impact the development would have on schools and GP services in the area.

She believes the scheme would constitute an overdevelopment of the site, which sits off an already heavily congested narrow residential street, and she said: “Whilst we welcome the fact that the Longlands site now appears to be moving forward with a development, it has to be on a much smaller scale, make a contribution to affordable homes - that is a binding condition - and includes some community facility such as a community centre.”

Staff from Persimmon Homes will be at the consultation event to discuss the proposals and receive feedback on the revised scheme.

Responses can be made by email to wmidconsultation@persimmonhomes.com or post - until Friday April 26.

Postal comments should be sent to Longlands Public Consultation, Persimmon Homes West Midlands, Venture Court, Broadlands, Wolverhampton WV10 6TB.