'Village green' appeal rejected

The inspector rejected the local residents' arguments

Campaigners have lost their bid to block plans to build 150 homes on playing fields near Nottingham.

The protest group in Hucknall had argued the Wigwam Playing Fields should be saved for recreation and given village green status.

Planning inspector John Male has rejected the application after a public inquiry into the issue.

Nottinghamshire County Council is due to consider the inspector's report on 29 April.

'Won't give in'

Vera Malcolm, who registered the application, said: "For generations people have used this field and not thought anything about it.

"There's a lot of avenues I think we can go down yet before we give in. But we're not going to give in yet."

The campaigners had argued the land qualified for protection because it has been used by generations of families.

They staged a protest march through Hucknall in June 2006 as well as writing hundreds of letters.