A bid to stop land being deregistered as a village green has been lost.

More than 4,000 people had signed a petition to ‘save’ Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood.

But following a public inquiry, a planning inspector has given the green light to deregister the land opening it up for possible future development.

Laing Homes, which is part of the Taylor Wimpey group, will provide a slightly larger piece of land to the west of the existing village green as a replacement for the land in Woodcock Hill being lost.

But according to a petition, this land does not “adequately represent nor compensate the valuable green space lost”.

Pat Strack, a town councillor in Borehamwood and member of the Woodcock Hill Village Green Committee, says she is “gutted” by the inspector’s decision.

The deregistration bid had also been opposed by Hertsmere Borough Council and MP Oliver Dowden.

Not all of the village green at Woodcock Hill is being deregistered and while the inspector recognised how much locals “greatly valued” the village green and acknowledged the investment and time put in maintaining the land, they said the replacement land will offer the potential for a wider range of activities.

Describing the release land as being the “least attractive” of the village green, they said the “potential benefits” resulting from the proposal “outweigh the perceived disadvantages”.

More reaction to follow.