Fight for Cartwright's Field in Stockton Heath is over as protection is denied

Residents have been fighting to protect Cartwright’s Field, in Stockton Heath, after plans were submitted to build houses on the site.

And last year campaigner Phil McConnell lodged an application for village green status – which if granted would have prevented any building work on the land.

But at a traffic committee meeting on Thursday councillors voted against the status after examining a report by independent inspector Vincent Fraser QC.

Speaking afterwards Phil said: “The meeting was as expected and consequently was very disappointing.

“I thought their discussion and consideration of our main points was inadequate.

“Our key point was that the denial of evening sessions (during the inquiry) severely damaged our case which was evidenced by the inspector’s view regarding insufficient use of the field in the early years.

“The inspector should have either commented on the many evidence statements of those that could not attend the inquiry, providing an evaluation of their evidence, or permit evening sessions in order to test the evidence.”

Jeni McConnell addressed the councillors over concerns their written evidence – which mainly considered the earlier time period of the 20 years they had to prove the field had been used by the public – was not fairly accepted.

But council solicitor John Holmes said: “The inspector says clearly he gave more weight to evidence that was tested in cross examination than written. But to say it was not taken is incorrect.”

Mr McConnell added that councillors should have evaluated the entire process rather than just that of the inspector.

He added: “The committee seemed not to recognise that the inspector’s role is to solely make a recommendation based on the evidence, whereas the committee should look at the whole end-to-end process and make a wider-based decision in the interests of the community.

“They seemed to think they didn’t have the right to disagree with a QC – which meant they missed the point of why they were there.”

Warrington Housing Trust had already gained planning permission to build homes on the site, but it expired after three years.

Now the housing trust has put forward new plans to build homes on the land.