CAMPAIGNERS will take their fight to overturn plans to build a college on a recreation site to the European Court next week.

Eileen Appleby and Pam Beresford, of the Washington First Forum, will travel to Strasbourg for a hearing to decide if the forum's claim of being denied rights under the European Convention of Human Rights is founded.

The group claims that it was prevented from collecting signatures for a petition in Washington town centre by the Prudential Insurance Company, which owns the area, in contravention of articles ten and 11 guaranteeing freedom of expression, assembly and association.

Residents formed the Washington First Forum in res-ponse to an application by the City of Sunderland College to build a further education college on the Sports Arena at Princess Anne Park, in Washington.

They argued that it was an important recreational site, and said there were other, more suitable locations for the college.

Although Sunderland City Council has granted permission for the development, the group has won the right to appeal to the House of Lords against its failure to recognise the Sports Arena as a town or village green.

If it is successful, the appeal could set a precedent for the preservation of similar areas nationwide.

A group spokesman said: "Washington town centre is, as you would expect, the crossroads of the local community.

"When the Washington First Forum was refused permission to campaign against the proposed development, they sought advice from Liberty, the national council for civil liberties.

"Following their consideration of the issues, Liberty agreed to take up the case and this led to the current application before the European court."