'We'll keep fighting' Court blow for fields campaigners

CAMPAIGNERS battling to keep school playing fields open for local residents say they will keep fighting 'by all means available' after yet another court defeat.

- Tristan CORK

The Court of Appeal has refused to allow local resident Katherine Welham, from the We Love Stoke Lodge campaign group, to appeal against a High Court ruling made back in the summer.

The grounds of Stoke Lodge, in Stoke Bishop, are leased by Bristol City Council to Cotham School to use as playing fields. The school went to the High Court earlier this year to challenge a council decision to designate the fields as a 'village green,' which had given local people the rights to full access to the entire area.

A High Court judge agreed with the school, and overturned the 'village green' designation, despite the intervention of Ms Welham, who was backed by tens of thousands of pounds of donations from residents in Stoke Bishop to be a participant in the case. The We Love Stoke Lodge campaign asked for permission to appeal the judge's decision, but have now been told that has been denied. The news was welcomed by the leadership at the school.

"This is great news for Cotham School," a spokesperson said. "We will continue to get back to using our fields," they added.