CAMPAIGNERS fear a Huddersfield beauty spot they are fighting to save will be fenced off today.

The “Keep Out” signs are expected to go up later today at Clayton Fields, after work on the site over the past 48 hours.

Contractors using excavators have moved in at the land off Queen’s Road to create a site entrance for a possible development – despite a pending High Court appeal.

Police were called in yesterday after action group members tried to persuade the contractors to end the work.

Developers Paddico (267) Ltd are working with Prospect Estates on the project, having won a court battle over the land several weeks ago.

Action group members were alerted to men up-rooting trees at the land earlier this week before the diggers turned up yesterday.

Despite no current planning application being granted and the action group fighting an appeal through the courts, developers who want to build on the site have started preparatory work.

Action Group secretary Mike Hardy, said: “This is a massive blow for the action group. To have activity on the site given the fact that we have lodged an appeal is a dirty trick to deprive local people of this land.

“We managed to get them to stop by telling them about the appeal but then a different sub-contractor turned up yesterday with a digger and unfortunately managed to level out an area of the fields to create a site entrance.

“The work was again abandoned when we intervened and with the help of the police, who advised them of the pending appeal, work was halted again.”

The action group are now awaiting their barrister’s instructions as to whether the work can be halted on a more permanent basis.

They have been told the land could be fenced off.

Mr Hardy added: “The developers maintain they are entitled to do this work as they have a 1968 planning application still in force.

“They seem to have forgotten that Edgerton Conservation Area was designated in 1977 so the rules will have changed.”

A spokesman for Prospect Estates told Mr Hardy that he was unaware of their appeal and as far as he was concerned it was private land.

Clayton Fields, which stretches between Birkby and Edgerton, had been granted village green status by Kirklees Council in 1997.

But developers Paddico (267) Ltd won a High Court legal battle back in June which saw a judge overturn the village green status, paving the way for development.

The judgement came after chairman of the Clayton Fields Action Group Bill Magee, and fellow member David Bowen, fought a five-day High Court case against Paddico (267) Ltd.

When the judge ruled in favour of Paddico, the protestors decided to lodge an appeal after a fundraising plea to meet the costs of court action was backed by many firms and individuals in Huddersfield.

Thousands of pounds has been pledged and a notice of appeal has been lodged.

A decision on whether or not the appeal will be heard is expected within weeks.