Hundreds of people have backed a campaign to stop 100 homes being built on a field – which a council is set to sell off for development.

Two months ago Staffordshire County Council successfully overturned the decision to block its planning application to build homes on the green space between Hoon Avenue and Milehouse Lane in Wolstanton, and it now intends to advertise the site for sale.

But families in the area are still fighting the plans, and a total of 381 people have signed an online petition to save the site from development. Lead petition Lottie Mellor says that the land, known locally as Balls or Baldies Field, is vital to the local community as an area for dog-walking and recreation, and claims that it is home to a number of species such as owls, bats and hedgehogs, with water voles also spotted in the area.

She also says the housing development would put additional strain on local roads, and that there is a 'Roman path' beneath the land.

The petition states: "Between Hoon Avenue and Milehouse lane sits Balls Field, said to be named after the farmer who originally left it to the community. It has been earmarked for up to 100 new dwellings on land close to Merryfields school.

"At the moment this area is 'vital to the local community'. A large amount of the local community use this area to walk their family dogs, stretch their legs and get a small glimpse of ever declining green spaces. With sightings of water voles in the brook, other wildlife, including bats, hedgehogs, foxes and owls, use this space for their homes.

"[There are also] concerns around extra stress on the roads."

A total of 381 people have signed an online petition to save the site from development (LDRS).

Planning committee members at Newcastle Borough Council voted to block the planning application, going against their officers' recommendation, on the basis that the scheme would result in the loss of natural open space. The county council appealed against the decision and the planning inspector ruled in their favour, saying that the concerns over open space were 'unfounded', due to there being other green spaces in the area. Part of the Balls Field site would also be retained as public green space under the plans.

While outline planning permission to build 100 homes on the site has now been secured, a 'reserved matters' application will need to be submitted and approved before any development can go ahead.

The proposed development would consist of 20 homes at the north of the site, and 80 more at the southern end, with the two sections connected by a treelined footpath. Vehicular access would be via a new junction on Milehouse Lane and the existing mini-roundabout on Hoon Avenue.

Mark Deaville, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for strategic highways and commercial matters, said: "This site wasn't gifted to the community but purchased in two parcels in 1923 and 1931 as land for education use and is now surplus and not required.

"The council regularly reviews all its buildings, land and assets to make sure it gets best value for taxpayers and has an obligation to dispose of surplus assets.

"We have been working with planning officers from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council for several years to develop an application for this site that retains public green space and walking routes while providing new homes in an area close to existing amenities.

"The site will be advertised soon with the outline planning permission for development."

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