BASILDON may have its big Hollywood-style sign on the approach to the town by the A127 but community campaigners in Wickford have now created their own landmark.

The Save Wick Green group have been running a long battle to save an open space in the area, with many of the skirmishes highlighted on their YouTube page.

Their latest film can be seen with this story.

For more than two years residents have been trying to save the site from development. They were initially spurred to action when it was announced the site, on land north of Radwinter Avenue, would be sold to the Marston pub group who wanted to build a new pub on it.

A signature launched in the early days opposing the sale drew more than 400 signatures and the Wickford Save Open Space campaign was born.

At the time campaigners were delighted to herald the support of local councillors but those initial cheers turned to howls of derision soon after when the councillors changed their minds and voted to support sale of the land.

Marston eventually withdrew their interest in buying the land, but then plans were mooted for a care home company to come in and build a facility on it which the council appears minded to support.

However, there is still opposition within the authority and in October Wickford Conservative councillors Malcolm Buckley and George Jeffrey tabled a motion demanding the council "recognises the strong desire of residents to retain this site as public open space" and "agree that maintaining a green lung in the centre of Wickford is important to the wellbeing of residents".

However, an amendment was moved by Labour council leader Cllr Gavin Callaghan which gave a number of reasons why the site should be developed – and this was carried.

Undaunted the local campaigners fight on and they have received a boost from a group of residents who have anonymously created a large sign on the site which says 'Save Wick Green'.

The future of the site is likely to be decided at a planning meeting to be held later this year.