A NURSERY is being forced to move from Halesowen’s Lapal Primary School because its ageing portable building is “not fit for purpose”.

But parents are furious they were not consulted and claim the new premises at the Howley Grange Scout Hut are unsuitable.

Mother-of-three Caroline Chalmers said the hut was next to the motorway and parents were worried about petrol fumes and lack of outdoor space.

Kirsty Hunter, who has twins at the pre-school and a six-year-old at the primary school, said the move had created “a lot of anxiety”.

She said many parents with children at Lapal would struggle to take and collect siblings from a separate location.

Parents are also concerned their children will miss out on a smooth transition from pre-school to reception.

Dr Hunter added: “If we had known there was a problem we could have supported and helped the pre-school, but there has been a lack of openness and transparency.”

She said the pre-school had known it would have to move for more than a year, but only told parents on March 1 it was moving in September.

Parents appealed for help from councillors at last month’s Halesowen North and South Community Forum and Cllr David Vickers said he had not yet had a response to a request for a meeting with executive headteacher Jeanette MacKinney.

“I am concerned about the relocation of the pre-school, which is far from ideal and I am hoping to meet with the executive head,” he said.

But Dr Hunter said: “We are getting anxious as we are running out of time to make a u-turn on decisions that have been made without any consultation with the parents.”

Lapal’s headteacher Joanna Turner said: “We made the owners of the pre-school aware some time back that the building they currently use will not be fit for purpose from September this year, given the significant repairs that are needed.

“As the pre-school is moving less than a mile away we have no plans to open another pre-school on the site of Lapal Primary.”

No-one from the pre-school nursery could be contacted by the News.