The battle over the future of one of Norwich's most prominent high schools has taken a new twist as it emerged the county council has demanded that it be given ownership of its land.

The Hewett School is at the centre of a furious row over government plans for it to become an academy, sponsored by the Inspiration Trust.

The fate of the school's expansive grounds has become a key concern of anti-academy campaigners, and Norwich South MP Clive Lewis branded the academy chain 'robber barons' in Parliament, accusing it of wanting to 'take from the people of Norwich' the school's land.

The Inspiration Trust has pledged not to sell the Hewett's land.

The land transferred from Norfolk County Council to the Central Norwich Foundation Trust after the Hewett became a foundation school in 2009, and a new sponsor usually takes ownership of foundation school's land when it becomes an academy, although the final decision rests with the government.

Now, it has emerged that the council's interim director of children's services, Sheila Lock, has written to Tim Coulson, the regional schools commissioner who oversees academies, arguing the council should get the Hewett's land back, regardless of whether the school becomes an academy.

The letter, which had cross-party political support, said this would help it pursue its vision of a 'learning village' on the site.

Emma Corlett, a Labour councillor who represents the area, said council ownership would ensure openness, accountability, and democratic oversight of the land.

She said: 'The overwhelming message we have got from the local community is that the Hewett land belongs to the local community, so my view is that as a local authority we are best placed to mange all the lease arrangements for whoever may provide education services there in the future.'

An Inspiration Trust spokesman said: 'We don't understand the logic of the county council's position. When the Central Norwich Foundation Trust took over the Hewett from the local authority just a few years ago, the county council gave the whole site to the trust. Now that it is proposed that another educational charity help reinvigorate the school, they want to salami slice the site.

'We don't see how that would help rebuild the Hewett in to the leading comprehensive with strong sports and cultural traditions that the young people of Norwich deserve.'

The news came as the Inspiration Trust stepped up its war of words with Mr Lewis, writing a rebuttal to 20 Labour MPs and one Green Party MP who signed a House of Commons motion be tabled condemning plans for it to sponsor the Hewett.

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