The new playing fields may be opened to the public

Bristol City Council has approved the addition of two new fields and a "state-of-the-art" artificial surface at the rebuilt Fairfield High School.

The new pitches at South Purdown - the contested land - and Boiling Wells are expected to be open to the public.

Campaign group Friends of Purdown said it was "disappointed" with the decision.

"There are grave concerns over this application," said the group in a statement.

"The council has ignored the 2,000 residents who signed a petition against the plans and betrayed the wishes and needs of our community and our city.

Campaigners are still fighting to save Purdown meadows

"This is a bad decision for the school, for our community and for the people of Bristol and we will continue to fight it."

The final decision on the playing fields will be made by the government, as the proposals deviate from the city council's local plan.

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

The new school will take in more than 1,000 pupils - double the current St Thomas More's capacity - and so new off-site playing fields have to be found.

A total of �20m has been earmarked for rebuilding Fairfield School from the government's �220m investment programme for the city.

Councillor John Bees said: "This proposal means we can deliver our promise of a new school for this part of Bristol with direct access to its own playing fields and provide facilities the local community can use.

"The alternative would not have been acceptable, as it would have meant bussing hundreds of children to fields some distance away and that would have meant significant transport costs."