A WILDLIFE site has avoided being turned into housing after it was made a community asset.

The site of the former senior citizen’s building, in New Street, Halstead, was demolished and put forward for housing, leading to fears a wildlife area and picnic field could also be lost to developers.

Halstead Town Council applied to Braintree Council for the picnic field to listed as a community asset in January, and heard on Monday their bid had been successful.

Being listed from as a community asset means if Braintree Council wishes to sell the land, there is a six week period to give the community the opportunity to be treated as a potential bidder, and to buy the land if the funds can be raised.

The successful bid means the wildlife site has been put in the ownership of Halstead Council, preventing it being sold for development.

Anne-Maree Robertson, a member of Halstead 21st Century Group, which wanted to prevent development, said it was promising some protection had been given.

She said: “It is excellent news, all be it limited protection it gives the community an opportunity to raise the funds.

“I was hoping the whole site including the senior citizen’s building would be included, but the wildlife site being saved is definitely a wow factor.

“It isn’t a bad start and we will just have to go on to see if we can get gold.”

The whole site was put forward to be turned into ten houses in Braintree Council’s call for sites.