THE campaign to save a popular York "village green" from being turned into a new school has won strong local support.

Plans have long been on the table for a £25 million project to build three new privately-financed schools in York

A proposed site for one of the new schools, St Barnabas, is Victoria Park, off Cinder Lane, Leeman Road.

But some nearby residents, including Kate and Simon Youngjohns, claim the park is a village green and is protected from development.

A public inquiry, with Mr and Mrs Youngjohns at the centre, was held last week to decide if the park can be classed as a village green.

The result of the inquiry has yet to be announced, but if it finds the park is a village green the entire private finance initiative (PFI) programme will be thrown into doubt, as a new site for St Barnabas would have to be found and funding for the other two sites would have to be renegotiated.

Mr and Mrs Youngjohns, of Stephenson Way, claim 78 people have written statements in favour of declaring the park a village green, and so halting the development.

Mrs Youngjohns said the consultation process over the issue had been inadequate and the plan went against Government guidelines on the use of open space.

She said there were several alternative locations for the new school, including the nearby York Central site.

"It's a beautiful area of open space which people have enjoyed and used as a village green for many years," she said.

"It (the school) will affect the peace and quiet of the stray."

Patrick Morrow, of nearby Stephenson Way, says he "fully supports" the Youngjohns' efforts.

He said the issue was not a "Nimby" (Not In My Back Yard) one, but was about the fact other options for a school site had not been properly explored.

He said the Stephenson Way area escaped being inundated by "a hair's breadth" in 2000 and that the whole area was prone to flooding. Mr Morrow said: "We are not against the new school being built, but this is not the right place for it. The land is part of a green wedge within the city, it should only be built on if absolutely no alternatives are available."

However, a group of residents have set up a counter- campaign in favour of the school being built.

On Thursday, Acomb Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing presented a petition to full council from residents fearful that the school would be lost.

"It's really important that Leeman Road gets its new school," parent Heather Bulmer said.

Updated: 10:23 Wednesday, May 05, 2004