A petition and a campaign has been launched to prevent Falkirk Council proposals to “rob” a local primary school of its playing field in order to create a new facility for additional support needs (ASN) students.

Parents at Moray Primary School, in Moray Place, Grangemouth, have started an online petition and a Facebook page designed to make as many people as possible of what the local authority is proposing.

Last month Falkirk Council's executive agreed a statutory consultation on proposals for Carrongrange Campus, which would see a new £30 million “all‑through” (five to 18-year-olds) ASN campus at Carrongrange High School, in Oxgang Road, Grangemouth – located just a matter of yards away from Moray Primary School

The council stated the new campus would “significantly transform provision for children and young people with severe, complex and profound needs”.

Moray Primary School would lose its playing field if the proposals went ahead (Picture: Michael Gillen)

placeholder image — Moray Primary School would lose its playing field if the proposals went ahead (Picture: Michael Gillen)

It would see the creation of a single, modern facility bringing together primary and secondary provision for children and young people aged 5 to 18 in one purpose-built setting to provide a “consistent learning environment” throughout their entire school journey.

Unfortunately, part of these proposals includes utilising – or as one parent put it, “robbing” – Moray Primary’s grass playing field.

Parents reacted angrily to this, saying the school was going to lose a “vital resource for our children and community” and that the green space was “more than just a piece of land”, it served as a crucial part of their children's education.

Lynsey Kenny, who has two children at the school, said: “They are taking away something from a school of 290 pupils to provide something for a new unit, when there is already existing facilities within Kinnaird and Maddiston.

Carrongrange High School is located just yards away from Moray Primary School and the proposed new ASN campus would see the removal of Moray Primary's playing field (Picture: Michael Gillen)

“What are the school going to do on sports day? You can’t hold that on concrete. The council say the playing field is under used, but they just have to see how many people attend our colours run fundraising event later this month to see that is not the case.”

Lynsey has concerns enough people who would be impacted by the proposed new development are being informed about the current consultation, saying residents of neighbouring streets need to be made aware of this due to the construction work which could be taking place just a matter of yards away.

Lynsey and the other parents and concerned petitioners are calling on the local authority to reconsider any plans for using the entire Moray Primary playing field.

The current consultation runs until June 12 and, according to the council, gives opportunities for parents, carers, staff, pupils and the wider community to share their views.

Two public meetings are also planned as part of the process – an in-person meeting at Carrongrange High School from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday, May 19 and an online session from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 20 and another from 12.30pm to 1.30pm on Monday, May 25.

A further report is scheduled to be brought back to the council’s executive in September to determine whether the proposal should proceed.

Those who wish to take part in the consultation can visit the council’s participateplus page and people can visit the ‘Save Our Playing Field’ Facebook page and the Change.org petition page to get more information on the campaign to save the playing field.