A CONSERVATION group hoping to unite the campaign against the University of York's expansion proposals today told academics: "Look in your own backyard."

Moves to draw together a wide range of protestors will be made by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) at a meeting this weekend.

Nearly 20 people including farmers, students, parish councillors, conservationists and concerned residents recently spoke out against the £500 million campus expansion plans at an eight-hour City of York Council meeting.

The plans were passed, but a public inquiry is looming because of the scale of the Heslington East scheme.

Now Frank Paterson, deputy chairman of the York and Selby branch of the CPRE, is heading the bid for a united front at a meeting at Askham Bryan College, from 3pm on Saturday.

CPRE supports the need for university growth, but says it should not take place on nearly 300 acres of farmland in Heslington.

Members believe academics have not fully explored the possibility of developing the existing Heslington campus.

Mr Paterson said: "Eighty per cent of the existing campus is not used, and of the 20 per cent in use, nearly half of that is either single-storey or car parks.

"The current campus can accommodate growth with a higher density.

"The university says it has a special case for green belt development, but we say look in your own backyard."

Mr Paterson said the aim of Saturday's meeting was to "harness the skills of objectors" and plan the route forward ahead of any public inquiry.

Calling for a good turnout, he said: "Ideally, we would like to form a consortium. Our strength is knowing about complex planning laws. We can go to head office and get advice. But other people will bring other skills."

The university plans to nearly double the size of its campus, housing 3,300 more students and creating 4,500 jobs. It says the land earmarked is the only suitable site and 16 others were reviewed.

A university spokeswoman said: "The points CPRE have made are not new and were made in both their submission in response to the outline planning application for Heslington East and in their address to the planning committee. These factors were taken into account when the planning committeetook their decision to approve the application.

"Should there be a public enquiry the CPRE will be able to restate its concerns.

The spokeswoman said the existing campus was nearly fully developed, within existing planning constraints.

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, April 07, 2005