THE leader of Colchester Council has vowed a secondary school will not be built on playing fields in Mile End.

The Mile End recreation ground, off Ford’s Lane, has been highlighted in a planning consultation document as big enough for a secondary school, which many believe the north of Colchester needs.

But Anne Turrell, leader of Colchester Council and a Mile End ward councillor, has insisted the football and cricket pitches, pavilion and children’s play area will remain.

She said she was taking steps to see if any references to changing the use of the land could be taken out of the document.

She said: “That land will not ever, while I’m still here, be used for any building whatsoever.

“Essex County Council asked our Local Development Framework department to save some land for a secondary school in north Colchester.

“There are other ways of reserving land for a secondary school in Mile End, which I’m working on at the moment.”

Another idea put forward for consultation would see the pitches transferred to land north of the A12, and the recreation ground could be turned into a facility for residents, such as a nature reserve and play area.

But Mrs Turrell said she believed this proposal was also a non-starter.

She added: “It needs to stay exactly as it is: A playing field that’s available for the use of all of Colchester.

“We can’t have special playing fields just for one area.”

Liz Gray, chairman of Myland Parish Council, said the only change she wanted made to the recreation ground was an extra football pitch.

She said: “We have lost so much over the years, so they’re not getting anything else off us.”