A NEW school proposed for playing fields would result in the loss of precious open space, according to an opponent of the scheme.

Ian Galbraith, secretary of Towneley for the People, said the land at Towneley playing fields, Burnley, earmarked for the new Unity College was a vital asset for the people of Burnley.

Mr Galbraith was speaking on the third day of a four-day public inquiry which will decide whether Lancashire County Council should be granted a compulsory purchase order.It will also determine whether the authority should be given a special certificate to avoid special parliamen-tary procedure.

Lancashire County Council wants to build Unity College on the playing fields as part of the £250 million Building Schools for the Future scheme.

It has ruled out using the existing site of the former Towneley High School as it says it is too small and too close to people's homes.

Mr Galbraith said: "The loss of amenity is the main concern of Towneley for the People and the harm that would be caused to the landscape by the building of a school on the playing fields.

"There will be some benefit if the existing school is returned to parkland but that is not comparable to the loss of views across the current school playing fields.

"Our other main problem is that the playing fields are very widely used by a lot of Burnley people. This is a traditional industrial town and open space is of extreme value. For that reason everyone seems to refer to Towneley as the jewel in the crown'."

Earlier, chair of governors at Unity College, Michael Murray, urged the inquiry not to destroy a golden opportunity' to improve educational standards in the town.

He told the inquiry he remembered his first day as a pupil at Towneley school 54 years ago when he said the school looked like a prison.