GREAT Marlow School has made a plea to two of the town's main organisations to end their objection to its plan to sell the school fields.

The sale would allow the school to develop modern sporting facilities costing in the region of £3 million, including a hi-tech sports hall and an all-weather pitch open to students and the community.

Outline planning permission has already been granted for the project. The school now needs to find the cash and await the results of the local plan inquiry.

Headteacher Clive Ricks says the money can only be raised by selling off one hectare of the school playing fields for housing.

Both the Marlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce and the Marlow Society have been opposed to the plan, saying that the Bobmore Lane school should preserve its grounds.

But at a meeting of the chamber on Monday, the group agreed to go on a site visit to review their stance.

Mr Ricks said: "If we had a sports hall then children could be exercising more frequently. Selling one hectare still leaves us with far more playing field space than we would need."

Colin Berks, president of the Chamber of Trade, said that members were concerned on two fronts. He explained: "First, the loss of green space and the loss for future generations; secondly, that it should be necessary for the school to sell its assets to provide an essential facility."

Mr Berks said that the Chamber would want to see detailed proposals of what would happen to the land and an assurance that the 50 or so houses proposed would be affordable.

Ron Waters, chairman of the Marlow Society, said: "Although we are sympathetic to the school's requirement for new facilities, there are other issues which the society wish to examine. We support the policy for green space but there is provision for development under certain circumstances."