AN application has been made to give an area of open space town green status – a move that would prevent feared development plans.

The land in question is off Blake Avenue and next to the Emmanuel church in the Chawson area of Droitwich Spa.

It is owned by Wychavon District Council as successor to the old Droitwich Borough Council in 1974.

Resident Richard Taylor made the application to the registration authority Worcestershire County Council on the grounds that local people have used it for recreation for 20 years.

A number of schemes have previously been put forward to develop the area and it is hoped that the move would secure the land as open space and prevent such projects.

But Ian Marshall, Wychavon District Council’s head of legal and support services, has raised an objection to the application claiming that such status is not necessary for the site.

On Tuesday evening he got the support of Wychavon’s executive board members before a final decision on the issue is made by Worcestershire County Council.

In his letter of objection he says: “The council has maintained the open space by mowing the grass and incidental work in the same way as it maintains many similar areas of open space throughout the district. The council is firmly of the opinion that the application is unnecessary and irrelevant and that registration of the open space as a town green would be entirely inappropriate.”

But this objection has been labelled as a message of intent for what the council really want to do with the land.

Control district councillor for the area Wendy Carter said: “This just shows that the council want control of the land. I think it wants the option of building at the site, which is what this application would take away.

“Why are they objecting? This should be accepted and the land preserved for the future. It is the only piece of open space in Chawson.”

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said that the authority is currently considering the application and looking at the objections and representations received before it makes a decision.