A MAJOR public debate is to be held over controversial moves to build a primary school in Whiteley.

Winchester City Council has indicated its support for the idea of building a new school on Meadowside Recreation Ground despite residents' protests that it will eat up limited open space in their community.

The ongoing wrangle has seen parish council chiefs looking at other areas of land they say would be better suited including a site owned by a farmer in Leafy Lane.

But the new Conservative administration, put in place at Winchester City Council after the Lib Dems were ousted in last month's elections, have fallen in line with Hampshire County Council, who say the best place for a new facility is on Meadowside.

The consultation will get under way in coming weeks, and the results will be returned to Cabinet members next month.

The final decision will be taken on July 19 two months before the last opportunity for the council to get a £4m grant from the government.

But the news has been greeted with disappointment by chairman of Whiteley Parish Council Mike Evans, who said there was insufficient time to gather all information on what has become a burning issue in the community.

He said he was also disheartened that the council had not taken up their plea for an environmental impact assessment before any development was considered.

Pointing out that it would have a huge impact on the area, he told Cabinet members: "An environmental impact assessment would have looked at all the issues associated with the development."

He said they needed to know such things as how lorries would get on to the building site and what noise would be created.

Earlier, Cllr Evans told the Cabinet that the parish council remained totally opposed to the proposal by Hampshire County Council to use Meadowside Recreation Ground to build a new primary school.

He said: "Meadowside is the only open space in Whiteley and it has taken ten years for it to become a useful facility for the community.

"As the major stakeholder, the parish council will do its utmost not to see it destroyed, especially as there is already a deficit of sports pitches."

He added that there was growing concern among residents about the effect the plans would have.

"It is clear there is an urgent need for a study to be undertaken by independent consultants to address all the issues relating to this proposal," he said.

In a report, councillors were told that public response had shown that the community was evenly split.

Director of development Steve Tilbury said: "There is broad agreement that the provision of a new school is a vital community amenity which needs to be secured."