School governors have spoken out against plans to build additional sports facilities on a community open space.

East Sussex County Council is considering creating hard surface tennis courts and football pitches for the recently-built Peacehaven Community School on land which has been used by residents for more than 30 years.

The move has sparked outcry. A petition of more than 500 names has been collected in protest at the plans for Joff Field, which residents say is the last remaining open space available to the public in Peacehaven.

Campaigners, who say the extra facilities should be built to the east of the school, have also contacted the Deputy Prime Minister's office to object.

Now the school's board of governors has also registered its concerns.

It has written to the county council to say it would prefer the pitches not to be built on Joff Field unless there was no alternative.

Unlike other protesters, their concerns relate to the distance youngsters would have to travel to use the facilities.

Gary Dove, chairman of the board of governors, said they would prefer the development near the school.

He said: "We are in favour of an extension and our preferred option would be an extension to the far end of the school.

"From a health and safety point of view it is preferred because everything would be within the school campus.

"If the facilities were build on Joff Field, the children would have to go out of the school, around the Meridian Shopping Centre and along the main road to get there."

Mr Dove added: "We must make it clear that we must have an extension and if the Joff Field is the only alternative then we would accept it."

The county council said that Joff Field, which stands for Just Only For Friends, was always earmarked for educational purposes.

The authority was due to discuss the planning application for sports facilities today but has postponed the decision until May.