A POPULAR green space cherished by a village’s children for decades has been saved by parish councillors.

Villagers in Gainford, Teesdale, are celebrating after councillors revealed they had secured land on Balmer Hill, at Gainford and Langton Parish Council’s annual general meeting on Monday night.

And a special celebration event was also organised on the land today with free ice creams.

In 2015, the community came together to start a “Save Our Green” campaign after Durham County Council and Broadacres Housing Association revealed plans to build six homes on it.

However, more than 200 villagers made their feelings known at a consultation event where they argued building on the land would deprive their children of a safe place to play and threaten it as a conservation area.

They also told developers that access to the site would become dangerous and contested whether the land itself belonged to the council.

Gainford resident and campaigner, Denis Clark, led the campaign and set up a community preservation group following the news that development plans had been withdrawn.

Speaking after the latest announcement, he said: “I think the people of Gainford are delighted that the parish council is purchasing the green space in Balmer Hill and that it will be preserved as open space for the benefit of local residents.

“This is particularly the case for local children who use the green daily as a safe play area.”

Parish Council chairman, Lisa Johnstone, added: “It’s been rambling on over the seams since there was the hoo-ha in 2015 when Durham County Council wanted to dispose of that land.”

Ms Johnstone said the two council’s had come to an agreement over the price and said she thought it was “reasonable” although she could not disclose the actual figure until the sale was complete.

She added: “As a parish council we wanted to secure it and keep it as a greenspace. We will take on all responsibility for grass cutting and maintenance.”

Ms Johnstone also praised the councils’ clerk, Martin Clerk, who she said had been “working really hard” to make the sale possible.

“The parish council are absolutely delighted. I think it’s just a nice green space and we do often see children playing on it as my kids did when they were small – we have built snowmen on it.”