A LONG-RUNNING dispute between a housing developer and local residents in Tytherington has ended in victory for the residents.

A committee of South Gloucestershire Council councillors unanimously decided that land in Southlands in the village should be given protected village green status which would prevent any work being done to the land.

Merlin Housing Society had planned to develop part of the land to provide off-street parking for a proposed housing development of 10 new homes which will also involve the demolition of four semi-detached houses that border the green.

This would be part of the firm’s region-wide scheme to upgrade their outdated post-war properties across the region.

Merlin operate across the South Gloucestershire and greater Bristol area but the majority of the, almost 9,000, homes they own are in South Gloucestershire.

Emily Powell, who lives in Southlands and was one of the campaigners trying to get green status awarded by South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We’re very happy with the decision made by the council. Everyone has worked really hard for the last two years to get the green given green status.

“Ever since houses were initially built here children have used the green to play on. Because it’s shielded by houses on all four sides it’s a very safe place for children to play.

“For generations children have played on the green but it had never been given official status

“Everyone who lives here is totally against what Merlin wants to do here – three of the families who live in the four houses have children who have particular needs.

The homes had demolition orders put on them but there were no firm dates for any work to be done which Mrs Powell said was causing a lot of extra stress for the residents.

“Merlin has issued demolition orders to the four houses but they run through until 2017 and no concrete information has been given to the families - I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like living with such a level of uncertainty”.

The decision was made by South Gloucestershire Council’s Public Rights of Way and Commons Registration Sub-Committee at a meeting last week.

The committee's chair, Cllr Howard Gawler (Ladden Brook), said: "I believe the decision we made was the correct one - the land has always been used as a green and now we can officially designate it as one".

Merlin’s PRC redevelopment project manager, Sally Gilbert said: “We respect the decision that has been made and we look forward to working with the residents of Tytherington in phase seven of our redevelopment project.

“Awarding it protected village green status won’t prevent us from carrying out our planned development.

“We were proposing to provide access for the new houses that we are planning to built but the decision will mean that we won’t be able to retain parking within the site and parking will have to remain on the road.”

There is a three-month period in which any objectors can lodge an appeal against the decision made by the council.