COUNCILLORS have stepped up their commitment to moving Christopher Whitehead High School from St John's to new premises on the outskirts of Worcester.

The 1950s buildings at Christopher Whitehead High School have decayed over the years, and education bosses say a new school is essential.

Cabinet members at Worcestershire County Council are set to agree that the authority could use compulsory purchase orders to acquire land at Earl's Court Farm in Rushwick.

The council has agreed that Tesco could build on the school's current site, in Bromwich Road, St John's, if it buys the 24 acres for the county council. If that scheme does not come off, and direct negotiations with the landowner fail, a CPO for the land would be lodged.

A second order, for a strip of land along the northern edge of nearby Grove Farm, would also be issued "to implement highway works" necessary for the school.

The council was prompted to restate its commitment to a new high school by the forthcoming public inquiry into the relocation, which begins on Tuesday, May 18.

"At the inquiry, the county council needs to be able to demonstrate that it can acquire the land necessary to implement the planning consent," said Malcolm Williams, head of property services.

"In order to achieve this it will be necessary to satisfy the inquiry that the council will use the appropriate measures necessary to complete the acquisition."

Under the proposals, the £15m school would include a "full range" of hard and soft play surfaces, state-of-the-art buildings, facilities, car parking and service areas.

The proposed move has been in the pipeline for more than five years and councillors say they can no longer stall over the project.

"Anybody who reads the school's Ofsted reports can see the state of Christopher Whitehead is affecting the education it offers," said Coun Adrian Hardman, cabinet member for resources.

However, plans for the relocation have met with stiff opposition from action group CHRISS - Community Has Rights in School Site - which says the move will rip the heart out of St John's.

The group claims that children's lives will be put at risk as they walk along busy roads and that a Tesco superstore on the current school site will drive away other businesses.

Worcestershire County Council's cabinet will discuss the plans on Thursday.