Parents and teachers have been reassured a proposed development will not bring an end to games lessons.

Concerns had been raised over an all-weather hockey centre planned for part of a school field in Old Shoreham Road, Hove.

It is used by Cardinal Newman Catholic school, Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College and several primary schools.

Stanford Junior School nearby has a long-standing agreement to use the field twice a week for games lessons.

Staff and parents feared the development would be out of bounds to pupils there and leave little of the playing field available.

The school has no green areas of its own.

Yesterday representatives from Cardinal Newman school and Brighton and Hove Hockey Club, joint partners in the project, said the children would not lose out.

Cardinal Newman headteacher Peter Evans said: "We will honour in spirit and detail the existing agreements with the other schools."

If plans are approved, the hockey centre, including two all-weather pitches and a glass-fronted pavilion, would be built at the western end of the playing field.

This is close to the existing tennis courts and the boundary with the railway line between Hove and Preston Park.

The plan is to use it for the school during the day and the hockey club in evenings and at weekends.

The playing field, owned by the education authority, is subject to an agreement between Cardinal Newman and the sixth form college which entitles both to access.

Mr Evans said: "We have no desire to prevent anyone from using the facility. We want it to be for everyones benefit."

Stanford headteacher Martin Thorn said he was disappointed the school had not been consulted.

A city planning committee will consider the proposals at a meeting tomorrow night but Mr Thorn said he had only seen a copy of the plans in the past week.