DOZENS of people turned out last night to voice their disapproval at proposals for a new £2.9m Darlington school.

Parents and residents of the Cockerton and Faverdale areas packed into St Mary's Church hall to tell of their anger and fears over the planned relocation of Alderman Leach Primary School.

The school would be built on a site in the West Park development, at Faverdale, but objectors say they are concerned about youngsters walking along West Auckland Road, which has a 40mph limit, at one of the busiest times of the day.

In an often heated debate, protestors also confronted council education official Kevin Duffy over a series of other issues.

Many demanded to know why the existing school had declined over the years, and whether there was a methane gas hazard on the site, and accused the authority of failing to consult over the plans.

Others questioned why a modern school could not be placed on the existing site and said parents in Cockerton or Branksome could face up to an hour's walk to get their children to school.

However, Mr Duffy said information given to the authority showed that the site posed no health risk, and that traffic levels would be taken into account.

He also told the meeting: "The way the school is built does not allow the prospect of any alteration work."

Some residents said they had been given conflicting information about the proposals at a recent open meeting, but Mr Duffy said responses to a consultation exercise would be examined.

The council revealed plans earlier this month for a new state-of-the-art building to replace the primary school, which will accommodate 315 pupils and 52 nursery places.

Mr Duffy said the council would work with parents, teachers and governors on safety issues.

Education chiefs say a council survey showed 67 per cent of people in favour of the new school.

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