Winchester City Council bosses have dug their heels in and refused to give up land for a new primary school in Whiteley.

At a meeting of the council's Cabinet it was agreed that a new school should be built in the community but not at the Meadowside Recreation Ground, as has been proposed by Hampshire County Council.

The Cabinet agreed that the one-form entry school could do significant harm to the playing fields and asked that the county look at other options.

The county council has been determined to build a school in Whiteley, but most of the land is owned by the city council.

City councillors agreed to reconsider the sale of land at Meadowside if the county brought forward alternative proposals, such as moving the playing fields to another part of Whiteley.

The Cabinet's decision to withhold the site places the county council in a difficult position as it needs to submit plans by the end of May or face the possibility of losing a £4m government grant for the school.

Sheila Campbell, leader of Winchester City Council, said: "Winchester City Council does want a school in Whiteley, we have always wanted it.

"We have suggested an alternative that may be unacceptable but it has to be explored, the county has never been willing to look at alternatives."

The alternative site being proposed is a five-acre site to the north of Whiteley where land is being sold relatively cheaply and where a larger school could be built.

Mrs Campbell added: "We need to have a dialogue with Hampshire County Council and other parties as there has never been a real discussion."

Hampshire County Council has in the past argued that the new school would only take up five per cent of the recreation ground.

Therese Evans, deputy leader of Winchester council, argued that the figure was wrong and was actually part of a much larger area including marshlands and meadows.

She said the loss of recreation land was closer to 30 per cent.

Responding to the decision, Ken Thornber, leader of Hampshire County Council, said he was bitterly disappointed that Winchester City Council has put the prospect of there ever being a new school in Whiteley in jeopardy.

The county is now expected to pursue a compulsory purchase option on the Meadowside Recreation Ground.