A MALVERN resident is leading the battle to save a "little oasis" from the type of development he feels is destroying the town.

David Goodwin and others on Newtown Road are preparing to fight an application to build a four-bedroom detached house on a half-acre garden in the conservation area.

The garden previously belonged to Gwyneth Wall, now a resident at Hastings Residential Home in Barnards Green, who would open the garden to the public during the summer to raise money for Oxfam.

Mr Goodwin said the garden had been home to an array of wildlife and provided relief from the "rat race of modern living".

"All over Malvern developers have managed to squeeze their houses and flats into every spare pocket of land," he said.

"Now, with the development of North Site, is it really necessary to destroy one last remaining piece of old Malvern?"

Owners Mark James and Nicky Wall saw an application to build two houses on the site rejected in March 2005.

Planners felt it would have an adverse impact on the amenities of local residents and the character of the conservation area and deemed access unsuitable for the increased traffic caused by two extra houses.

Mr Goodwin said local residents would fight to stop the latest application.

"I've seen just about every garden I used to play in as a child be developed," he said.

"We find ourselves once more doing battle to prevent the garden being swallowed up by yet another property development."

Mr James declined to comment, saying the matter should be left to planners to decide.