The meadow is home to considerable flora and fauna

A slice of meadow land at Purdown near Lockleaze is to be recommended to the city council as the preferred site for three pitches for the new Fairfield School.

The council says just 15% of the total 11 hectares of open space will be affected, but some residents are angry and say their views have been ignored.

A city council spokesman denied this and said the Purdown site was best for educational reasons, and because of cost.

Fairfield School can see no alternative to this site and children won't have to travel by bus to their playing fields Council spokesman

Faye Walter, spokesperson for the Friends of Purdown campaign, told BBC News Online that the council had agreed to look at other sites.

"We are devastated and intend to object. We believe we've got a good chance as Purdown is the most ecologically rich of the areas considered in the report, the most controversial and doesn't provide full-sized pitches.

"There is also a scheduled ancient monument up there and two rights of way that cross the site."

'No alternative'

The site will be recommended to the Cabinet on Monday, who will then take a final decision.

The council spokesman added: "The whole of Purdown is not being used and the community will gain a playing area that they can use.

"Fairfield School can see no alternative to this site and children won't have to travel by bus to their playing fields"

Purdown is close to St Thomas More's School, which is moving, and being replaced by a rebuilt Fairfield School.