Planners have given the go-ahead for a 400-metre running track at Packers Field in Whitehall, Bristol, despite opposition from some residents.

Permission has been granted for the six-lane running track with an eight-lane sprint straight, field event facilities and a storage building at the City Academy's playing field.

Opponents, including 52 who officially objected to the council, said creating a fenced-in athletics facility would go against the community use agreement signed earlier this year which allowed free, informal access to the site.

Many of them say the City Academy has gone back on its promises to the local community over the use of the field in Johnsons Road.

But yesterday Bristol City Council's development control (central) committee voted unanimously to approve the plans after planning officers reported the issue about the loss of the land for informal recreation was resolved four years ago at an earlier stage of the development.

Several public statements were made at the meeting, including one from 13-year-old City Academy pupil Patrick McInally, from Greenbank.

He said: "I have always been in favour of improving this sports field, and I cannot wait to see the work completed."

But resident Will Simpson cited the community use agreement and said: "Local people do not want this. The field is not only a school playing field, but a vital asset for all children and adults in the local community, not just Academy students."

Five residents had written in support of the scheme, saying it would help encourage children and young people to become involved in sport in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics and would help enforce a "no dogs" policy across the site.

Sport England also backed the development.

Before the vote, Councillor Simon Cook (Lib Dem, Clifton East) said: "This is integral to the city's sport provision. This is going to be great for the school and this is, after all, a sports academy."

The seven acre field was used for recreation by workers at the Packers chocolate factory in Greenbank during the early 20th century, until it was sold to the local authority during the Depression. For the next 70 years, it was used by local schools, sports teams and families.

When St George Community School became the City Academy five years ago, the city council leased Packers Field to the academy for a peppercorn rent.

Initial plans for a stadium with a spectator stand were dropped but in 2004 permission was granted for development of the sports fields, including changing rooms and a pavilion. Lengthy wrangles have continued over siting of the facilities and access to the Bristol site.