PROTESTERS are claiming a victory for "people power" after a York public school withdrew controversial plans for a new access road and all-weather pitch.

Residents living in Westminster Road, off Clifton Green, launched a campaign against St Peter's School over its proposal to construct a new thoroughfare, which would enable parents to drop off their children directly at its junior school, St Olave's.

They feared it would generate hundreds of extra cars along their quiet street and harm the roots of a Horse Chestnut tree.

Strong opposition was also generated against the school's plan to build two all-weather floodlit pitches surrounded by high fences.

More than 100 objections were sent to City of York Council planners and now St Peter's has backed down and withdrawn the applications.

Protester Paul Tomlinson, of Westminster Road, said: "I'm sure it was people power that made them understand the plans wouldn't work."

A St Peter's School spokesman said the access road was intended to ease traffic congestion around the site.

He said the decision was taken following further planning work on the proposal which found that the road would not provide the solution that was originally envisaged.

The school also took advice from its team of consultants and council officers as well as "taking into account concerns expressed by local residents".

The proposal for the road, which was to have led from Westminster Road and The Avenue, had been drawn up to enable parents to drop off and collect children at the school's lower campus, formerly the Queen Anne Comprehensive School.

John Pike, chairman of governors at St Peter's, said: "When we originally acquired the former Queen Anne School, we thought we would be able to accommodate the traffic from the three schools within the main site, but this has unfortunately proved unworkable and potentially dangerous, and our over-riding concern has to be for the safety of pupils, staff and visitors on our campus.

"When we originally submitted our application for a new access road, we believed it would provide a workable solution, but detailed planning work has shown this not to be the case."

Mr Pike said they may submit a revised application on the all-weather pitches at a later date and are still seeking permission to build new changing rooms on its lower campus. This work would be undertaken during the 2006 summer holidays to minimise disruption to local residents.

Updated: 09:59 Friday, January 27, 2006