FEARS about losing recreation land have been renewed by Ashford Homes South West’s appeal against refusal of plans for two homes on former tennis courts at Clarendon Road, Trowbridge.

The land, known as The Circle by residents, was the subject of a planning application for two four-bedroom detached homes from the developer earlier this year.

But Clarendon Road residents argued that it is regularly used by children, as well as those in nearby Green Lane and Paxcroft Way.

Wiltshire Council refused permission for the development in June, stating that it would result in “the loss of an area of land that currently fulfils an important amenity and recreation function”.

But Ashford Homes has now appealed, arguing that any previous formal recreational use of the site is no longer relevant in terms of claiming protection.

One resident Lyn Baron said: “We are concerned again. The fact that the developer is appealing creates all sorts of worries that it will go through, even though we don’t believe it is right.

“It feels like the more they keep coming back and appealing the more chance they have of it going through as people will get fed up arguing. 

“It sometimes seems like you are fighting a losing battle, but these two homes are not needed.

“There are plenty of houses being built around Trowbridge and Wiltshire, so why do they need to put two more here on a piece of land that the residents use regularly? My daughter uses it all the time, as do lots of other residents in the road during the summer months.”

A previous planning application was submitted for two homes in 2000, but was refused by Wiltshire Council  for a similar reason to the one given in the council’s latest decision.

The land was last used as tennis courts in the 1940s.

Comments can be submitted to the planning inspectorate by September 30, with a decision expected in October.