IT was a true David and Goliath battle.

But a tiny group of Huddersfield residents believe they have won a battle against a mighty developer.

But the people fighting to save Clayton Fields, between Birkby and Edgerton, don’t want to celebrate just yet.

The High Court, this week, ruled in their favour to keep the area as a designated village green.

But developers, Paddico, could yet take their case to the Court of Appeal, hence the residents’ guarded joy at the court victory – at least for another 28 days.

Bill Magee, chairman of the Clayton Fields Action Group, fought the High Court case with fellow member David Bowen.

They successfully convinced the judge, Deputy Master Collaco Moraes, that the application to appeal against the Village Green status of the field, made by Paddico, the new owners of the field, should be rejected.

Paddico’s bid was supported by Prospect Estates, the proposed developers of the site.

Mr Magee said: “Paddico's legal representatives were DLA Piper, the sixth largest firm of solicitors in the world, and George Lawrence QC, one of the UK's leading counsel on Village Green legislation.

“Myself and David represented ourselves and Mike Hardy (secretary) who was unable to attend.

“In a court procedure that had so many twists and turns on legal arguments, the simple common sense approach of the Clayton Fields Action Group won the day.

“This is not the end of the story, there are many other steps that Paddico can take, and many actions that Clayton Fields Action Group will do to prevent their success at every stage.

“CFAG with the support of Kirklees Council, the National Trust and the Open Spaces Society, will be bringing all their skills together to provide a compromise agreement to the developer which will stop any development of the field – for ever.”

The residents have spent years fighting to save Clayton Fields, fearing their green space could be eroded by new developments.

Developers Paddico bought the land in 2005 and applied to the High Court to re-examine its village green status, which heavily restricts building on the land.

Clr Mehboob Khan, leader of Kirklees Council and ward member for Birkby, said: “I am overjoyed at this result.

“Paddico hired one of the best firms of solicitors in the land and could have had a strong case.

“I am pleased that the village green has been safeguarded properly.

“We at Kirklees Council will look into strengthening its protection within the Local Development Framework and getting the planning application set aside.

“Thanks should go to the hundreds of local residents who campaigned hard in order to get this result and preserve their right to enjoy some much-needed green open space.”

Clayton Fields was registered as a village green in 1997, after a successful campaign by locals to preserve residents’ right to use it in the future.

Paddico has not commented on its next steps in the legal battle.