Villagers lose village green bid

Villagers who have been fighting to register fields as a village green to stop them becoming part of a new housing estate have had their plans rejected.

Villagers who have been fighting to register fields as a village green to stop them becoming part of a new housing estate have had their plans rejected.

An application to have the former Suffolk Fat and Bone factory site in Oulton, near Lowestoft, and a neighbouring field in Church Lane legally declared a village green was turned down by Suffolk County Council.

Kenneth Alexander, of Wood Lane, Oulton, was joined by villagers at a planning inquiry in Oulton Broad last November to try to persuade an independent inspector that the land had been used for recreation by local people, including dog walkers, families and bird watchers, for at least 20 years.

The proposal was turned down by the county council's rights of way committee.

A report to the committee by planning inspector Lana Wood said: "The inspector came to the view that the area occupied by the factory, including its various buildings, could not have been used for lawful sports and pastimes until the site was cleared.

"As a result she has come to the view that the use of this area did not start in any significant measure until 1993, and as a result there could not have been 20 years use prior to the application."

Mr Alexander said: "I'm obviously upset that things didn't go in our favour, but this isn't the end of things. I'm going to try to find a way forwards and I'm already exploring other avenues - I don't give up this easily."

The site, parts of which are owned by Danisco Beaminster and the Diocese of Norwich, already has outline planning permission to become part of the 800-home Wood's Meadow development, which was approved by Waveney District Council's development control committee in 2007.