Steeton village green fighting fund donated to Airedale Hospital (From Craven Herald)

Steeton village green fighting fund donated to Airedale Hospital

11:00am Monday 4th February 2013 in News

Campaigners for a village green in Steeton have donated the remainder of their fighting fund to Airedale Hospital.

The residents, who wanted to save three fields in the village from housing, have handed £115 to the hospital’s children’s ward.

The fund was launched in November to help pay for a judicial review to keep the campaign on track.

Campaigner Ady Stokes said her group had collected £255 in cash and had managed to return £140 to people who had donated.

She added: “During the campaign we had pledges of £770 which shows the depth of feeling and support we had.”

The village green campaign was launched after housing developers applied for permission for 220 fields on the land off Thornhill Road.

Campaigners claimed the fields had been used for recreation by villagers for many years and wanted them designated as a village green.

Bradford Council last year threw out the village green application and the campaigners decided to make a last-ditch attempt by applying for a judicial review.

The fighting fund was meant to cover the £5,000 costs of applying for a Protected Costs order in advance of the judicial review.

Last month the group decided to give up after a barrister who was providing free advice pulled out.