EVEN with just a few days to go before his six-year reign ends as the chief executive of the York Inward investment Board (IIB), Paul Murphy has leapt into a controversial issue feet first.

He has defied angry opposition by Heslington Village Forum to plans to massively extend the University of York, and described the scheme to expand the Heslington campus in a mixed office and academic development on 65 hectares on farmland to the east of the village as "absolutely crucial to the economic success of York." That view is not likely to be welcomed by members of the Heslington Village Forum who have described the University of York as "greedy" and "bullying" neighbour.

His remarks will also rankle with the York and Selby branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England which has opposed the plans, describing them as "unnecessary".

But Mr Murphy stands his ground: "Quality land is largely used up, partly due to our own success in the IIB and the science park is virtually full up.

"Without further quality land close to the university, we would risk missing out on the next wave of hi-tech investment, which will be crucial to the York economy in years to come."

The council had worked with the IIB to identify employment land needs right through to 2021 "and while we would always like a little more I am satisfied that the proposals by the council in its Green Belt Review will supply a sufficient bank of employment land right up to then," he says.

The City of York Council had been brave in supporting the economic development of the city by providing sufficient employment land "and they deserve the support of the business community to bring that land forward," he says.

Updated: 09:18 Tuesday, March 25, 2003