BATCHLEY residents have won their fight to secure the future of the Hawthorn Road playing fields.

Residents launched a campaign of protest after the site was included on a list of council-owned land to be evaluated for possible house building.

They won their fight on Tuesday when the borough council's housing committee withdrew the site from the controversial list.

Mrs Pat Wilson, leader of the controlling Conservative group, said their was no intention of building houses on the playing fields but the list should be considered as a whole.

"I do not doubt we need this land for its existing use. But it would be wrong to consider this in isolation."

But Councillor Walter Stranz, Labour group leader, said if there was no intention to build on the land it was a waste of officers' time to leave it on the list for evaluation.

"None of our playing field areas will be safe unless we exclude them," said Mr Stranz.

The residents' campaign to have the playing fields removed from the list included sending a deputation to the July council meeting and collecting a 450-name petition.