THERE were tears at the town hall last night as councillors turned down plans for land off Hillock Lane in Woolston to be turned into King’s School.

Cries of ‘Shame on you’ rang out from angry parents after the decision was made during the development management committee meeting despite planning officers recommending the secondary school plans for approval.

Councillors criticised the look of the building, describing it as ‘utilitarian’ before expressing concerns about losing green space in the area and traffic although conditions had been included within the application to ease congestion.

Parents pleaded for the plans to be approved and questioned whether Rixton and Woolston councillors opposing the plans lived in the same village but their appeals were ignored.

Parent Jane Willington said: “My blood is boiling at the refusal of the new school when the council’s own legal team advised them not to reject it.

“This is no doubt going to cost the council thousands in legal fees.

“Do these councillors not realise they should have listened to the legal team’s advice?”

Read more in Thursday’s Warrington Guardian.