COUNCIL leader Mike Bawden admits his hands are tied over plans to build a new university at Coate.

Now he says the town must bite the bullet and accept plans to build the campus on the green spot or risk losing millions in investments.

Earlier this week the Govern-ment gave its thumbs-up to the controversial plans following an independent report.

This paves the way for Swindon Council to hold a further round of consultation before the draft county structure plan is adopted in 2005.

The move came as a bitter blow to campaigners who have vowed to protect the strip of land between the Great Western Hospital and the Coate Water Country Park designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The town's Liberal Democrats suggest North Star and the old police station site in Fleming Way as possible alternatives.

Swindon police are scheduled to relocate to a new £25m headquarters in South Marston next year.

But Coun Bawden said that he could do little to persuade University of Bath's vice chancellor, Glynis Breakwell, to back down. "She has stated on a number of occasions including through the pages of the Evening Advertiser that the campus will only come to Swindon if it gets the Coate site," he said.

"There is nothing I or Swindon Borough Council can do about that.

"The university has specifically said that it wants to be next to Great Western Hospital. I would much prefer this development to go elsewhere in the town but looking at it from the university's point of view this is the best possible site, because of it's proximity to junction 16."

Cost is also a major factor, said Coun Bawden.

It's understood that the university will be given the 58-acre land free by developers, who also plan to build 1,800 new homes.

"A town centre site would not be appropriate because it would not meet their specific sports needs."

Coun Chris Shepherd (Lib Dem, Freshbrook and Grange Park) said that the university is central to the town's development, but that should not be at the expense of residents.

"Any new development in Swindon must be economically and environmentally sustainable while meeting the needs of residents," he said.

"More than 12,000 residents have signed a petition objecting to this threat to a Site of Special Scientific Interest and loss of recreation land."