Campaigners are celebrating after the Government scrapped plans to build a free school on a playing field.

The decision by junior schools minister Lord Nash to abandon proposals to site new buildings for the King's Church of England Free School on the field in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, was hailed as a “victory” by the Friends of the Field campaign, which opposed the plans, and by local politicians.

The field, between BHASVIC and Cardinal Newman Catholic School, had been selected by the Government’s Education Funding Agency as the best place for the new school, but this was met by fierce opposition.

The U-turn came in a letter from Lord Nash, the minister responsible for free schools, to Brighton and Hove Council leader Jason Kitcat, ward councillor Ruth Buckley and Sue Shanks, the chair of the council’s children and young people committee.

He wrote that he recognised that using the field was “not ideal and this option was considered as a last resort” and that it “is clearly no longer an option we will be pursuing”. He cited his reasons as the fact that the council owns the land and that it has opposed the plans.

Coun Buckley said the decision showed “the power of the people”.

She added: “The community have done this themselves. The thought of putting another 1,500 pupils in that area was a daft idea.”

HoveMPMikeWeatherley, pictured, said Lord Nash had “seen sense”.

But he added: “I'm in favour of free schools and Hove needs one. There is a lack of school provision in my constituency and we could do with another school of this nature.”

Cardinal Newman headteacher James Kilmartin said he was “delighted” by the decision.

Coun Kitcat said the decision was “very good news”

and that the school would still go ahead “just not on a much used open space, so no loss of educational and sports provision”.

The King’s School will initially open at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy’s sixth form site in High Street, Portslade, but larger premises will be needed after three years as it expands.

Steve Flavin, the founding headteacher of the King’s School, said: “We appreciate all the efforts being made by the DfE and the council to finalise plans for our permanent site.

“My staff and I are now focused on our new Year 7 and on the excitement of getting ready for our opening in September.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work with the free school proposers and the council to find a suitable site. We remain committed to helping the proposers establish a new school that will raise standards in the area and help to address the pressure on school places.”