Heslington Village Trust today launched a scathing attack on the University of York over its ambitious plans to double its current campus.

Trust chairman Nick Allen said proposals for 65-hectare development, stretching from Heslington's east boundary to Grimston Bar Park & Ride, pose "a catastrophic threat" to Heslington and repeated calls to look at an alternative campus in York Central.

University bosses submitted an outline planning application to City of York Council almost two weeks ago, detailing their vision for the future of what is currently the country's sixth smallest university.

Sustainability is said to be the guiding principle behind the massive project, but Mr Allen said: "It appears to have only seriously considered the campus itself and not its effect on the surrounding community and road network, where the proposals challenge every aspect of sustainability."

Mr Allen accused the university of downplaying commercial and industrial development on the new campus and said many firms located at the current Science Park "have negligible connections with the university or with science."

He said that a survey of villagers' views would now take place and the Trust and Heslington Parish Council would challenge the application.

"The so-called wide-ranging consultation claimed by the university is considered by many locals to simply demonstrate the university's arrogant attempt to bulldoze through its own vision of its future," said Mr Allen. But university spokeswoman, Hilary Layton, said this comment was "unfair" and that she hoped people would read the planning application, which "goes into great depth" about proposed traffic management measures.

"We are genuinely trying to take a considerate and thoughtful approach to this process and have been talking to key stakeholders, including local residents, for over a year.

"We have taken on board many comments and requests for changes from local residents and changed the master plan accordingly. We will continue to listen and adapt things as and when we can as the process goes on," she said. Ms Layton also said Mr Allen's references to industrial development on the site were "wholly misleading" and statements about the Science Park "not true".

The new campus, which will be built around a large lake, will include accommodation for 3,300 students, new academic departments, a performing arts centre and sports facilities, with 25 hectares devoted to Science City York.

It is envisaged that student numbers will rise from just over 10,000 to 15,500 by 2020, with 4,500 new jobs created for the city.

Updated: 10:47 Thursday, May 13, 2004