DETERMINED residents in Clevedon are fighting to prevent a popular play area in their street from being turned in to allotments.

DETERMINED residents in Clevedon are fighting to prevent a popular play area in their street from being turned in to allotments.

Clevedon Town Council wants to turn a field off Coleridge Vale Road North into allotments, due to a shortage of plots in the town.

But residents are appealing to North Somerset Council to allow them to buy the land, to preserve the green area for their children.

Michelle and Martin Baker, of Coleridge Vale Road North, are offering to cough up the cash to save the field.

Michelle, aged 32, who has two children aged two and six, said: "We don't want allotments backing on to our houses. I've lived here all my life and we've always used this play area.

"Children from streets all around come and use it and in the summer there's such a lovely atmosphere. It really brings the community together.

"It would be a real shame to lose it. It's enclosed and very safe because there are no cars and not many people know its there.

"Children are always being encouraged to exercise, but now the council wants to take away this small bit of land they play on.

"We're also hugely worried about our privacy if it's turned into allotments and it would bring our house prices down.

"We would really like to buy it. But the council won't even tell us how much it would cost."

A number of other people living in the street are outraged that the land could be turned into allotments and are appealing to the council to preserve the play area.

Concerned resident, Steve Thole, said: "We've got three children and it's a fantastic resource for them.

"I wouldn't be pleased if it was turned into allotments. It's right in the middle of a residential area and parking is already a nightmare with just the residents.

"Access to the field goes down the side of our house and I would be cheesed off if lots of people used the lane to get to the allotments.

"We would consider buying the land to extend our garden because the area is an asset. We don't want to lose it."

North Somerset Council said it was not able to confirm how much it would cost residents to buy the land to try to save the play area.

But a spokesman said: "We are in discussions with the town council about the use of the land for allotments, but it's very early days at the moment."

What do you think? To voice your views write in to the Times, 32 Waterloo Street, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS23 1LW.