York residents can view the proposals

The university wants to almost double its size, using 65 hectares of farmland around Heslington.

Some villagers say the plans will increase traffic, destroy wildlife and drive house prices down.

University chiefs say the expansion would enable them to create new jobs, and would have facilities for local people.

Professor Brian Cantor, the vice chancellor, said: "This exciting project is about more than the university.

"It will have enormous benefits for the city, the region, and the country.

"We hope to have a theatre, sports facilities which are open to all, a pleasant parkland campus with a large lake for people to walk around, and shared pre-school nursery provision."

The official launch of the plans is at Archbishop Holgate's School at 1900 GMT on 3 March.