COUNCIL chiefs have vowed not to release land to developers as the fight to save a wildlife haven goes to a public inquiry.

As a government inspector abandoned a hearing into the future of Barracks Lodge, at the rear of Newington Drive, in favour of a more formal inquiry, the local authority has announced that it will refuse to sell any land to Stately Developments.

Council leader Derek Boden said the authority would defend its decision to preserve Barracks Lodge as a wildlife habitat and that the council has no intention of transferring council-owned land, adjacent to the lodge, to allow Stately's development proposal.

Less than an hour into Tuesday's scheduled day-long public hearing , Government Planning Inspector Alan Robinson abandoned the informal hearing.

Mr Robinson felt the strength of feeling from objectors to Stately Developments's plan to build 16 homes on the lodge merited a full public inquiry. Stately wants to demolish two houses in Newington Drive to give access to the lodge which, campaigners have claimed, has been destroyed by "maintenance works". The scheme also involves using council land to support the housing plan.

Following a planning committee's refusal of the scheme, trees and shrubs have been removed and the lodge has been drained, transforming the once beautiful wildlife haven into barren wasteland.

Mr Robinson said that the inquiry would also allow the wildlife value of the lodge, prior to the draining of the water, to be fully evaluated.

He added: "Also, if the view is taken that the the site is of ecological interest, then evidence needs to be tested whether that interest would exist if the lodge is put back in order."

The inspector's call for a public inquiry was welcomed by some 30 members of the public who packed the committee room.

Mr Michael Wellock, Newington Drive resident and leading campaigner, believes the decision to abandon Tuesday's meeting in favour of a public inquiry was the correct one.

He said: "The issues surrounding Barracks Lodge are huge and a public inquiry is the right stage for this matter to be discussed fully and resolved."

Council leader Derek Boden believes Tuesday's hearing would have given ordinary people the right to have their say on the scheme.

Councillor Boden added: "However, I do not fear public inquiries and I am confident we will be successful in our fight to protect the lodge. The evidence is very much on our side."

Although a date has not been set for the public inquiry, Mr Robinson said the matter could be dealt with before the end of the year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.