PLANS to sell off school playing fields in Banbury for housing and improved sports facilities look set to be approved.

Banbury AAT Academy, formerly the Banbury School Trust, has submitted outline plans to Cherwell District Council to build 44 homes, an all-weather artificial pitch with floodlights, an extension to the sports hall and an outdoor climbing wall at its Ruskin Road site.

Council planning officers have recommended the plans are approved when they are discussed by its planning committee at a meeting starting at 4pm today.

In a report, the school said it had no choice but to sell an acre of land after £17m of funding was withdrawn by the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

Banbury AAT Academy has been identified as one of four schools in the county most in need of refurbishment.

The land is at the rear of Springfield Avenue, near retirement flats at Stanbridge House.

No details of the type or size of the residential buildings has been included in the outline plan, but Cherwell’s housing officer said 30 per cent should be affordable housing.

As part of the project the current rugby and football pitches would be realigned and the cricket square and athletics track moved. Hockey pitches, netball and tennis courts would be resurfaced. The sports hall would get a fitness suite and new changing facilitiesd.

Nearby residents have opposed the plans on the grounds of increased traffic, noise and light pollution, loss of playing field and concerns about property values.

The plans were originally submitted last year but later withdrawn.

The academy’s principal, Dr Fiona Hammans, was unavailable for comment.