LOCAL residents have vowed to fight on after the disappointing news that their plans to save a piece of land for the community look set to be refused.

Their application to register land at Maesglas, Cardigan, as a village green – thereby protecting it from future development – have been recommended for refusal at Thursday’s Ceredigion County Council meeting.

Housing association Tai Ceredigion has submitted several planning applications for the site over the years, the most recent involving demolition of 20 garages and the erection of nine houses, with the relocation of the play area. Each application was refused.

The organisation had objected to the application to gain village green status.

Residents say use of the land for recreation and play goes back decades, but the transfer of the land to Tai Ceredigion in December 2009 means that the recorded use ‘as of right’ only goes back to this date, and not the necessary 20 years to gain village green status.

A report to councillors states: “The inspector concluded that the application should not succeed because it does not meet all the statutory tests, as use by the local inhabitants had not been as of right during 17 years of the 20 year relevant period.”

The inspector recommended that the local authority rejects the application in its entirety.

Members of the North Cardigan Action and Support Group, who have been leading the village green bid, told the Tivy-Side that members were ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by the recommendation, and have vowed to keep fighting to secure the future of the area.

A spokesman for the group said: “It’s all about a technicality.

“We were told we had not used it for 20 years, because the transfer invalidates it.

“That area is meant to be for recreation and play, there’s no reason why that should change.

“It should remain as a play area and we want the equipment back.”

“We have got the whole community and town behind us again. It’s something that has brought us all together.”

The group states that the area is a meeting place for the local community and a safe place for children who live in the area to play.

They have been trying to secure the return of play equipment taken away from the area in October 2013.

The spokesman added: “The children need a play area, that’s the reason we started this group, it’s for the children and they can’t disregard that.”

The council will meets to discuss the report on Thursday morning.

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