RESIDENTS in a Hereford suburb are fighting to keep an area of open space free from housing development.

The Newton Farm Town Green Action Group has been putting concerns forward at a public inquiry into the future of the Argyll Rise site.

The group wants to make the recreational land a town green, which will ensure it is kept as an open space for the public.

"The local residents of Newton Farm have used this green space for up to 30 years and still do today," said Martin Gilleland, group chairman.

"The open space provides a safe environment in which children can play, which is an essential part of their physical, emotional and psychological development."

To succeed, the group has to satisfy certain criteria, including proving the land has been used for recreational purposes for a long period and that objections to development come from a certain number of people in the locality.

"I think the inquiry went well and we put a strong case forward," Martin added. "We will just have to wait and see what the outcome is."

Should they lose the application, the land will still be protected because it is safeguarded by the council's Unitary Development Plan, which classifies the site as public open space.

However, its owner - Herefordshire Housing - could still challenge this at a later stage and put in a case for a change of use.

In a statement to the Hereford Times, Herefordshire Housing said "the amount of applications for housing in Newton Farm has doubled in the past year while available properties have fallen during that same period".

Interest in the site is high because it believes the scheme "has existing suitable access roads into the site" and that the development "has the capacity to provide improvements for existing residents".

Concerned neighbours are also being reassured that should the development get the green light, open land will still be set aside for the residents to use.

Martin Smith, director of communications, said: "As a non-profit organisation, we are trying to address the chronic shortage of affordable housing within the county.

"Herefordshire Housing is unfortunately unable to compete with private developers on many sites available on the open market, so we need to explore the possibilities for developing our existing sites, such as this opportunity at Argyll Rise."

A decision on whether the site has been awarded town green status is expected on September 5.