The future of the troubled 'Bedfont Pits' area remains uncertain after councillors refused to bow to pressure from residents and approve a popular development scheme.
Local developers are keen to completely remodel both the Bedfont Trading Estate and 'The Pits', which has been plagued with motorcross racing and anti-social behaviour for over a decade.
But they suffered a knock-back last week after planning officers recommended councillors refuse the scheme because the plot, described by locals as a lawless, polluted and dangerous eyesore, is technically classified as protected Green Belt land.
Developers Chrisfys Limited are offering to landscape large areas of the neglected land into a public park and to provide a home for Bedfont Green FC, in exchange for being allowed to build several new industrial units.
But council planners are still unconvinced that their plan meets the 'very special' circumstances needed to develop Green Belt areas.
Residents from some of the estates surrounding the proposed development gathered outside a council meeting on Tuesday evening to voice their support for the project after hearing that planners had recommended it for refusal.
At the moment it's just this awful, noisy, dangerous space where only motorcyclists go," said Westmacott Drive resident Yolanda Lazaro. "It's scary to even go down there. Those kids don't respect anybody or anything. The idea that it's some kind of grassy green land that needs protecting is just ridiculous."
After much debate members of the Sustainable Development Committee decided to defer their decision for another month despite voicing approval for the principal.
