welcome somebody doing something

[tehtmc]

I understand the word 'welcome" is more often used in the passive form:
The government is welcome to build another school in the area.

I have been told that it is unnatural to use it in the active form:
1.The people welcome the government to build another school in the area
2.The people welcome the government building another school in the area.

Are the sentences just unnatural or are they also incorrect?

 

[Copyright]

Yes, it's unnatural.
This is what it sounds like your sentences 1 and 2 want to say (but that's not what you mean):

3. The people welcome the government's building another school in the area.
4. The people welcome the government's plan to build another school in the area.

 

[dermott]

They're not unnatural, one is not quite correct.

1.The people welcome the government's decision to build another school in the area.

 

[tehtmc]

They're not unnatural, one is not quite correct.

1.The people welcome the government's decision to build another school in the area.

Is No.2 also incorrect without the apostrophe "s" after "government?