IN a last hurrah, Ladygrove residents have laid a new deal on the table in a bid to save their much loved park.

Uproar erupted across Didcot in January after Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils unveiled a draft masterplan for the Didcot Garden Town programme, which saw a new technology institute built on the popular park in the area.

With the public consultation on the plans finishing yesterday, a group of residents marched to the district council's offices and delivered not only their 2000-strong petition but also a proposal for a Fields in Trust (FIT) Deed of Dedication to protect the park from development.

Resident Simon Hewerdine, who has been the driving force behind the campaign, said a FIT is a legally binding document which will protect the land from development.

Mr Hewerdine said: "I thank those who have signed and all those others who have offered other kinds of help from the bottom of my heart.

"This campaign would be nowhere without their wonderful support.

"What this campaign has proven is that people do care, not just about themselves but also about the future we are leaving behind for future generations.

"A passion and dedication that was sufficient to move a town council to unanimously stand up to its bigger brother, we really are one Didcot."

Last month Didcot Town Council, the lease holders of the land, unanimously stood by residents and told the district councils to keep their 'hands off' the green space.

Mr Hewerdine added: "As we hand in this petition we find ourselves at a possible turning point.

"What happens next is in the hands of South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC).

"We hope they choose to heal the rifts with the community of Didcot and enter into a binding legal agreement regarding Didcot's Ladygrove Park.

"We have done our homework and provided SODC with the tools to do this through a Deed of Dedication, we hope they take up this opportunity."

A spokesperson for SODC, said: "We have been aware of this petition since its launch in December.

"We have carried out extensive engagement with the local community over the last three months about the garden town proposals and have directly addressed the concerns highlighted by the petition with local residents and will continue to engage with them throughout the development of the garden town."

A delivery plan will be produced on March 3 after which Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils will review and approve the plan.

The public will then be able to view the final proposals on Wednesday, March 22, but due to local elections a public consultation will not take place until the middle of May.

For more information visit: didcotgardentown.co.uk