THE bustle of university life could be at the heart of the York Central development, if opponents of plans to extend academia into part of the city's green belt get their way.

Critics of the University of York's ambitious proposals to build a campus extension on agricultural land near Heslington have urged planners to consider the city's so-called Teardrop site as an alternative.

They argue that the massive urban site near York Railway Station could easily embrace academic and student facilities among the commercial and residential development.

But the university looks set to press ahead with its Heslington East master plan, paving the way for the construction of a 21st century campus in the shadow of Badger Hill.

Architect Nick Allen, who chairs Heslington Village Trust, said pressure needed to be brought on the university to stop it following the "path of least resistance" and building on the green belt.

Mr Allen said university buildings could bring economic activity and life to the site, which could not be matched by commercial development alone.

He said: "It's in the interests of the city to force the university to at least consider the brownfield Teardrop site for its expansion."

He added that the university could build at a higher density than was possible on the Heslington site and students could integrate more with city centre life.

But university spokeswoman Hilary Layton said in-depth discussions with the council during the late 1990s had ruled out the Teardrop site for the campus extension.

She said it was understood that City of York Council wished to see affordable housing and commercial development placed on York Central instead.

She said that separating the campus would increase the burden on York's transport system and cause university running costs to spiral.

Alastair Morrison, head of development and regeneration at the council, said a decision to look at York Central "would require a fundamental reappraisal of what has gone before".

He said the council and university did look at alternative brownfield sites such as York Central and York Business Park for the campus extension.

But it was decided that the "proximity principle", of keeping the campus clustered together, would allow facilities to be shared and cut down the number of journeys across York.

Updated: 11:13 Monday, April 28, 2003