BATTLE lines have been drawn ahead of a planning meeting which could decide the fate of a controversial proposal to build an athletics track at a Hazlemere school.

Wycombe District Council planning officers recommended plans for a floodlit, eight lane track at Sir William Ramsay School for approval in a report to councillors last week.

The council submitted a planning application for the 400m track and associated sporting facilities for the Rose Avenue School in December.

The scheme would replace the Wycombe Sports Centre athletics track, which the council needs to move to make way for a “gateway” coachway, business park and hotel at the Handy Cross centre – which was approved last month, subject to planning conditions.

But campaigning residents have vowed to fight the proposals 'to the death', with Hazlemere Residents Association 2009 chairman Brian Mapletoft confirming the group “will have a large presence” at tonight's planning meeting.

He added the saga had “revealed a lot of things about our local government that we probably never wanted to seek out” and likened the council's track application to a balloon.

He said: “If you continue to blow up and blow up a balloon, it gets to the point where it only takes a little prick to burst it.

“They have submitted a flimsy application that they have dressed up but it is simply a fragile proposal which doesn't hold up under scrutiny.”

Wycombe District Council said it books out two additional public meeting rooms for planning committees with up to 100 people able to sit in at tonight's meeting.

Controversy has engulfed the saga after a leaked email from planning committee member Cllr Hugh McCarthy suggested that councillor's should “remember the officer's warning, if it (track) fails at planning then the coachway project is dead, so we need to be careful.”

He has been advised by council solicitors to “play no part” in tonight's planning decision.

WDC leader Lesley Clarke has previously denied claims that councillors had been whipped into passing the track to ensure the coachway scheme and pledged the planning committee would make a decision “on the night like it always has and always will do”.

The meeting at the council's Queen Victoria Road offices gets under way from 6.30pm in the Council Chamber.

A timeline of the Sir William Ramsay School athletics track saga:

July 2009: Wycombe District Council first unveil plans to move the athletics track from Wycombe Sports Centre to Sir William Ramsay School to make way for a coachway and “realise the maximum possible land value”. Residents call the plans “disgusting”.

August 2009: WDC starts public consultation over the plans.

September 2009: A Public exhibition detailing the Hazlemere proposal is held at the council's Queen Victoria Road offices.

October 2009: Hazlemere residents and local county and district councillors unite against the proposals at a public meeting held at the Hazlemere Community Centre.

December 2009: Final plans for the Rose Avenue school are unveiled by the council – despite an internal council report obtained by the Hazlemere Residents Association 2009 originally ranking Queensway as the best place to host the track.

January 2010: Planning committee member and Hazlemere councillor Hugh McCarthy is advised to “play no part” in the final planning decision after a leaked email states: “remember the officers warning, if it (the plans) fails at planning then the coachway project is dead, so we need to be careful.” The email sparks outrage in the community.

February 2010: WDC leader Lesley Clarke and planning committee chairman Cllr Pam Priestly deny claims that councillors had been “whipped” into approving the track plans and vow the application would be discussed like “any other”.

February 2010: Plans for a “gateway” coachway, park and ride and business park at Handy Cross approved by councillors, subject to planning conditions.

March 2010: Council planning experts recommend track plan for approval in a report to councillors ahead of tomorrow night's D-Day planning meeting.