CAMPAIGNERS railing against plans that would see more than 70 homes built on a recreational field in Waunfawr have claimed that a decision to go ahead has “already been made” after goalposts used by children were removed from the site this week.

Ceredigion council, however, has said that the posts were removed “due to health and safety” and the move was not related to the plans.

A plan by Wales and West Housing and Ceredigion council to build an initial 28 affordable homes and 12 learning difficulty units on land adjacent to Hafan y Waun has attracted more than 100 objections from local residents.

A campaign group, Friends of Erw Goch Field has been established in a bid to save the field from development, and they hope to achieve ‘village green’ status for the land to protect it from the plans.

The group said: “Despite the planning application receiving over 110 local objections for the council to consider, it would appear that minds have already been made up and that the development will go ahead.

“This week, workers removed the goalposts that generations of children have used and still use.”

One resident, who did not want to be named, said she took her children to play in the field “daily”.

“My children were really disappointed when they went over to the field to play football and realised that the goalposts had been removed,” she said.

“The fact that Ceredigion County Council has already started to prepare the land for development before the planning committee has even met – and during a lockdown period– is unbelievable.”

A council spokesperson told the Cambrian News: “The goalposts that were on Erw Goch field were erected without permission and their removal was purely on health and safety grounds and had nothing to do with do with the planning or village green applications.

“The original goalposts owned by the council were taken down many years ago following a tragic incident in another nearby town.

“The council haven’t erected goalposts for years and would only allow that if a lease or licence were granted for using the land and appropriate safeguards were in place in order to protect the public.”

A spokesperson for the Friends of Erw Goch Field campaign group said: “This field has been used for generations and is the last remaining green space in the area.

“It is essential to supporting the community spirit and helps to maintain the health and wellbeing of local residents, especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdowns.

“We all have a duty to fight as hard as we can to keep as many safe, green spaces available for public use, as possible.

“This land has been used in an unrestricted way by the public for leisure activities for more than 20 years and we hope to keep it that way.”

The planning application seeks outline permission for the whole 77 home development to be developed in phases, as well as full permission for the first phase of 40 homes.