A WEEK-LONG inquiry is being held to protect a green field near Dursley town centre from housing developments.

On Monday from 10am a five-day inquiry will begin at Gloucestershire County Council’s HQ which may protect land off Hardings Drive from further developments.

With an area of over seven acres, the fields overlook Dursley and can be clearly seen from the town centre.

In September 2013 Patricia and Keith Andrews submitted the Town Green application, during the formation of the Defend Dursley’s Green Escarpment campaign.

The group’s objective is to protect the beauty, space and ecology of the natural environment of this land for the community, for posterity.

Three planning applications for housing development have been refused to date, plans for 69 homes in 2013, 27 in 2015 and five earlier this year.

“After four years of meetings and communications with Gloucestershire County Council and legal services to comply with their complex processes, I am delighted to receive confirmation from The Commons Registration Authority that the final Town Green Inquiry is happening,” said co-founder Keith Andrew.

"This is going to be a long enquiry and whilst we are confidently optimistic about winning the case, we are not complacent.

"We will be pleased to welcome everyone that can attend to support us.”

The application process has involved the critical activity of gathering masses of signed witness statements; forms of evidence; and historical photographs.

In total over 73 signed witness statements from past and present Dursley residents were prepared and submitted; and families verified that they had used the fields for leisure and play over a specific twenty-year period from 1992 to 2013.

The site is known to have been used by Dursley residents for at least eight decades.

Thanks to DDGE co-founder Phil Maynard for his assistance with this article.