OBJECTORS to the University of York's plans to build on green belt land have received the backing of local residents.

A survey of residents in Badger Hill and Heslington showed that the majority opposed the university plan to establish a third campus on nearby farmland.

City of York Council has set aside 100 acres of farmland off Field Lane in Heslington to enable the university to expand. There are plans to build a science park on the site.

The survey by the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) and PROTECT (People and Residents Objecting to the Erection of Campus Three) showed only 12 per cent of residents supported the proposed campus.

But residents were not against the idea of the university expanding, with 80 per cent of those surveyed saying they believed the growth of the university would be good for the city.

An overwhelming 86 per cent said that they thought the university should expand on its existing sites before using valuable agricultural land.

More than 1,200 questionnaires were distributed by 20 sixth-formers from Fulford Comprehensive School.

The pupils volunteered to carry out the survey in their own time after Frank Paterson, vice-chairman of the CPRE, visited the school. He was there to tell them about the plans.

Mr Paterson, welcomed the survey saying it strengthened the organisation's arguments against the erection of a third campus.

He said the CPRE agreed that the university should expand and develop new facilities, but argued that expansion could take place on existing university land.

He said: "City of York Council has directed that building on the present campus should not exceed 20 per cent of the total site. We believe this should be increased to 30 per cent to accommodate the necessary new facilities.

"This would leave 70 per cent of the site without buildings and give the opportunity to maintain the open campus which we all want to preserve."

David Piercy, chairman of PROTECT, said he was "delighted" at the outcome of the survey.

He said: "Not only does it prove that we are not anti-university, but it also shows that local people want to retain our open farmland."

A university spokeswoman said: "The university is expanding and our current site is full. But our plans are in the very early stages.

"The university and the council are in the process of consulting with local residents about the proposed expansion."

Updated: 09:19 Monday, November 11, 2002