A serious safeguarding question has emerged about the proposed 190-home development behind The Greystoke pub — and it needs your attention.

Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls sits just 350 metres from the proposed site on the same road. This is an all-girls secondary school with around 1,400 students aged 11 to 18. The developer's plans include buildings up to six storeys high.

That means residential windows looking directly down into school playgrounds, sports areas, and classrooms — spaces used by teenage girls every single day.

I have written to the headteacher and board of governors to ask a simple question: were you consulted about this development, and are you aware of the safeguarding implications?

I'm awaiting their response.

This is not a minor detail. Department for Education guidance requires schools to maintain secure perimeters and consider overlooking from neighbouring buildings. An all-girls school being observed from dozens of residential windows raises legitimate child protection concerns that must be addressed before any planning approval is granted.

This is in addition to the GP capacity, school places, and traffic concerns we've already raised — none of which have been answered with proper impact studies.

The formal planning application is expected in March. When it arrives, every signature on this petition becomes a voice the council cannot ignore. If you haven't signed yet, please do so now. If you have, please share this with neighbours, parents, and anyone who cares about the safety of children in our community.

We're at 150 signatures. We need 500 before March. That's the number that gets noticed at Planning Committee.