RESIDENTS and councillors are celebrating after a treasured green open space in Yate was saved.

The land, which is located to the rear of Cambrian Drive and adjoins the public open space at Halifax Road, has been bought by Yate Town Council.

It had attracted the interest of several developers in recent years, but campaigners managed to fend off all plans to build on the space.

After the developers’ last, unsuccessful attempt to gain permission to build, councillors came up with the idea of purchasing the land themselves.

And, following much negotiation, the town council has managed to acquire the site for the sum of £35,000.

The final papers were signed on December 20. The price, which is very low for a site of this sort, was possible as land sold with planning permission is always more expensive than that without.

The council now intend to protect and look after the space, so that it can be enjoyed by residents now and in the future.

Yate Town Councillor, Chris Willmore, said: “As councillors we are thrilled to have managed to save this open space permanently, after years of working with residents to fight successive planning applications.

“It is the best Christmas present ever.

“We have got conditions on it that mean it will never be built on.”

Several planning applications have previously been submitted by developers to build a number of houses on the land, one of which included a proposal to gain access through Cambrian Drive by demolishing one of the existing properties.

Residents and councillors made strong objections to the planning applications on each occasion and finally the developers gave up and agreed to sell the land to Yate Town Council.

“Yate Town Council’s Estates Team have started an immediate clean up of the land and in the new year we will be organising a work day with local residents to litter pick, prune and do some planting, to bring this neglected land back to being a lovely open space,” said Cllr Willmore.

“Thank you to every resident who helped us fight the planning applications, putting in objections and backing us. Without all that work the developers might have got consent.”