PART of a school's playing field is to be handed over to developers - and the pupils couldn't be happier.

Dozens of supporters packed into Preston Borough Council's monthly planning meeting to back plans to sell off part of Corpus Christi High School's playing field to raise the funds needed to pay for an impressive sports hall.

The school, in St Vincent's Road, Fulwood, is the only one in Preston not to have a sports hall, and pupils use an all-weather red-shale pitch, which was described as unsuitable.

Councillors gave their backing to the scheme, despite being advised to refuse it, because they believed that the new sports hall and the remaining pitch - which could be drained - would more than compensate for the loss of 10 per cent of the school's land.

Now the project must win the backing of the Secretary of State, and Sport England, which represents sports enthusiasts and opposes the project.

Councillors at the meeting expressed their support for the scheme. Coun John Browne said: "This is in the best interest of the school and the pupils. They have nowhere to go at the moment and this should remedy that."

Coun Alan Hackett added: "This is a quality versus quantity argument and there is no doubt that with an indoor sports facility and drained pitches, less is more."

Preston MP Audrey Wise sent a stinging letter to the council, condemning officers for recommending refusal, adding that the current playground was unsafe. Despite dozens of letters of objections, councillors backed the plans after hearing of mass support for the project.

Any money left from the sale of the land will go towards extending the dining area at the school to cope with the larger yearly intake. Deputy Head Simon Horshaw said: "This is our chance to build a school for the 21st century."

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