Campaigners are hopeful they can still protect part of the public gardens from developers.

Land which used to be the senior citizens’ centre, in New Street, Halstead, which was built on land which used to form part of the public gardens, has been put forward to be turned into ten houses in Braintree Council’s call for sites.

This has led to fears that the wildlife area behind the site could also be turned into housing.

Both sites are owned by Braintree Council.

Anne-Maree Robertson, a member of Halstead 21st Century Group which wants to prevent the site being turned into houses, is hopeful they have found a way to protect the wildlife site, also known as the picnic field.

At a Halstead Town Council meeting, she and other members of the group encouraged the town councillors to submit the site as a community asset, which puts it in the ownership of Halstead Council and will help prevent it being sold for development.

She said: “We had 1,800 signatures on a petition for the land not to be developed a couple of years ago.

“They voted to do so and we are just waiting to hear that the application has been submitted.

“Then we just have to hope that it is accepted by Braintree Council.

“There is someone in that park everyday, and by someone, I mean lots of people.

“It is regularly used and it would be a shame to lose it.”

The former senior citizens’ centre served as an Anglo-American servicemen’s club in 1944 before later being used as Government offices and eventually ending up under the ownership of Braintree Council.

It was bulldozed in 2013 but has not been turned into housing, although it is being considered under the new local housing plan.

This does not mean it is definitely going to be built on, just that it is being considered.

A draft decision by the council on where the houses will be built will be released in June 2016.

Town clerk Mike Murkin confirmed the application had been submitted and they were waiting to hear the result from Braintree Council.

** THERE are currently no assets of community value in Halstead, but there are two in neighbouring Sible Hedingham.

A building of piece of land is an asset of community value if it is at least partly within the Braintree district and its main use has recently been to further the social wellbeing or social interest of the local community and it could do so in the future.

If land or buildings on the list come up for sale in the future then the local community has the option of six months to prepare a bid to buy the asset.