THE fight to protect an area of ancient woodland could end up with a public inquiry.

Campaign group, Friends of Coombe Wood, first applied for official village green status for the area between Bread and Cheese Hill and Church Road, Thundersley, in 2004.

In June 2007, more than half the woodland was awarded the status meaning residents’ right to access the land is protected by law and building on the land is banned.

But the Government inspector who made the decision decided to exclude the northern part of the wood as he felt it was not as well used by the public.

In April last year, the friends made another application to Essex County Council for the remainder of the land, to the north of the brook, to be granted similar protection, but have heard nothing since. Now, after the Echo contacted the county council, it has been revealed objections to the application have been raised.

Council spokesman Michael Page said: “We are currently waiting to receive supporting information from the objectors.

“A decision will then need to be taken on whether the application needs to go to a non-statutory public hearing.”

Friends’ chairman, Terry Russell, 67, of Thundersley Grove, said the group would take legal advice once it found out the grounds for the objection.

He said: “We want to see village green status granted as it provides the ultimate protection.”

The wood and surrounding area was sold off as plot lands in the early 1920s, but the land within the wood was found to be unsuitable for building.

As a result, although some of the northern part of the wood is now owned by Castle Point Council, which supports the Friends’ application, the rest of the land is in multiple ownership.

Since the inspector’s decision, parts of the northern part of the wood have been fenced off.

Friends committee member Terry Isherwood, 65, of Thundersley Grove, said: “The open space in Essex is just being eaten up. Green belt seems to mean nothing.

“If people don’t fight to protect it, it will just be one unbroken swathe of houses.”

The group will bear any legal costs if it has to fight at a public inquiry.

Anyone interested in supporting or joining the group should e-mail terencerussell@sky.com