A decision to fence off land on an historic Oxford common which is supposed to be open to all has been branded disappointing by campaigners.

Wolvercote Green, above, has been a source of controversy for years because the committee which looks after it, the Wolvercote Commoners' Committee, has been trying to find ways of improving its condition.

It applied for permission to put up a fence around the green so cattle could graze on the site.

But despite many residents and campaign groups, such as the Open Spaces Society, voicing objections, the Secretary of State for Environment has now given plans the green light.

Nicola Hodgson, of the Open Spaces Society, said: "We are sorry that the open and unenclosed character of the common will be spoilt by permanent fencing. There is a right to walk and ride horses on the whole of the common, yet access to the land will now be restricted.

"Although there will be gates, we feel people should be able to enter the common at any point.

"We understand the need to maintain the heathland qualities of the site and that the commoners' committee wishes to reintroduce grazing here.

"However, we believe this can be achieved by means other than fencing."

John Goddard, leader of the city council and a Wolvercote resident, said many villagers had hoped to see cattle grids, rather than post and rail fencing, installed.

He said: "We know the state of the land is not what it needs to be and it's not been adequately looked after, so there was no doubt something needed to be done. It's just been a question of how to do it.

"There has been some division of opinion among residents about how best to do it.

"Some residents, particularly those who live near the green, were against fencing because it will make what has been unrestricted open land look like a fenced-off field, which it is not."

Ms Hodgson added: "At least the consent is only granted for 10 years, after which the effectiveness of the fencing will be reviewed.

"We hope that by then we shall have developed other ways of managing commons which avoid the use of ugly fencing."

Alternative suggestions made included electric fences and a ha-ha a hidden ditch but these had previously been rejected by city councillors at area committee meetings.