Plans to build houses on the playing fields at Varndean College, Brighton, are set to be refused.

Varndean has made an outline application for homes on part of the campus at Surrenden Road, Brighton, to help fund an expansion.

But planning officer Hamish Walke is recommending Brighton and Hove city councillors refuse the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday.

He says in a report to the planning committee: "The proposal is considered to involve an unacceptable loss of playing fields and open space."

A petition signed by more than 2,000 people has been sent to the council, along with 441 individual letters of objection.

Sport England also told the council it was objecting to the application as it felt the land could be used for playing fields.

Other objections were received from Green Euro MP Caroline Lucas, Brighton Urban Wildlife Group, councillors and conservationists.

There has even been an objection from the president of Novia Scotia College of Art and Design in Canada, whose children attend Varndean School.

But there is strong support from Varndean College Staff Association and Student Union plus backing from Dorothy Stringer High School and Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College.

Mr Walke said the site for housing would certainly be suitable for use for sports such as football.

He added that the council did not accept the site was suitable for housing as it was a greenfield site.

He said: "An unacceptable precedent would be set by permitting the sale of playing fields to fund refurbishment."

Liz Hutcheson from the Varndean Action Committee said the land was important to the college and to the whole city of Brighton and Hove.

Now Dorothy Stringer on the same campus had gained sports specialist status, it would be madness to sell the land, she said.

She added: "Once these playing fields have gone, they have gone for ever."