According to media reports, Armidale Regional Council is exploring a partnership with Homes NSW to consider potential housing developments at the former Duval High School site and Lot 17 Grandview Crescent.

Our concerns are:

Education and future population needs:
We are concerned that as Armidale’s population grows in the coming years, there may be a need for additional public high school capacity or specialised school facilities to meet future demand. The former Duval High School site is an established location that could help meet these needs.

In some other regional areas, school mergers were later reversed after strong community advocacy.

Public land is precious:

Lot 17 Grandview Crescent is currently zoned RE1 Public Recreation and is among the limited public recreation areas in North Armidale. If this land is rezoned and developed for housing, the opportunity to use it for schools, parks, or other community facilities may be lost.

Community Trust and Transparency:

Families purchased homes with the expectation that Lot 17 Grandview Crescent would remain for public benefit. Residents request meaningful consultation and transparency before any rezoning or development decisions are made.

We therefore call on Brendan Moylan MP to:

• Protect the former Duval High School site for future public education or community use.
• Support Retaining Lot 17 Grandview Crescent as RE1 public recreation land for parks, schools, or community facilities.
• Support transparent and meaningful consultation with residents before any rezoning or development decisions.

Note: Signatures will be used solely to support this petition and may be visible to the public. This petition reflects the views and concerns of the signatories and does not make any legal claims against individuals or organisations.

Picture Source: Armidale Regional Council August 2025 meeting minutes (Figure 2: Indicative Masterplan). This image is sourced from a publicly available council document and is provided here for community discussion and petition purposes only. Its inclusion does not imply endorsement by the Council or any other organisation.

Reference: New England Times article on Duval High School development.

-History repeats: property developers circle Duval High site, community not consulted

-Promises and Secrets: Duval High development proposal raises questions