Environmentalists are claiming victory in their campaign to register Oxford's Trap Grounds as a town green.
The Law Lords yesterday delivered a 62-page ruling on the future of the land near Port Meadow in north Oxford, in the long running test case between The Friends of the Trap Grounds and the city council.
The city council wants to build 45 affordable homes on the site, but the FOTG has blocked the scheme by claiming the site has been used for many years by the public.
The FOTG said the Law Lords had indicated that they could now apply to register the area as a village green on the basis of 20 years of dog walking and other recreation.
But the judges stopped short of advising the county council, which is the registration authority, what decision to take.
Friends spokesman Chris Goodall said: "This looks like wonderful news.
"Oxford does need more affordable housing but we have consistently said that there is ample brownfield land on which to build. We don't need to use land like the Trap Grounds."
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