VILLAGERS from Aberhafesp near Newtown have applied for village green status for a patch of land in a housing estate.

A meeting of Powys County Council's planning committee is taking place over two days to hear evidence for and against the application, made by Richard Amy in November 2016.

The parcel of land under consideration is surrounded by the Hillcrest housing estate and is an area of 0.32 acres.

Landowner Adam Davies, who is representing his father Frank at the hearing, has permission to build a home near the parcel of land and has outline planning permission to build four on the land under question.

To succeed the application  needs to show that the land has been used "as of right" by Hillcrest residents and that it has been used for 20 years for lawful sports and pastimes.

Applicant Richard Amy, who has lived at Hillcrest for 30 years, said: "Over the decades the green has been regularly used by the many families and children who live there.

"A period far in excess of the 20 years period required by the Commons Act 2006.

"Primarily it has been a place for the estate's children to play together and for the parents to play with their children.

"It has also been used by adults to hold social gatherings."

"In the 30 years I have lived there the green has never been fenced off or any indication from the landlord not to use the land."

Mr Amy objected to committee solicitor Colin Edwards' line of questioning when he asked witness, Shirley Blanchard, for names of children who played there.

Mr Edwards replied: "We've heard bland statements that lots of children played there, it's very important that we drill down and find out were they from the estate and neighbourhood?"

Questioning witness, Alan Rowlands, on the use of the land for social gatherings, Mr Davies pointed out that in 17 years living there Mr Rowlands had been to three.

"They are saying it's in regular use," said Mr Davies.

Mr Davies also pointed out that residents' claims that grass had been cut and land levelled voluntarily, had been wrong.

One had been given money off his sewage connection bill and the resident, Michael Jones, known as "Bumble", had been asked by the landowners to level it.

Eluned Jones, who grew up at Hillcrest, said: "During that time my sisters and I regularly used the green for playing and exploring. It was an area that we could play safely in away from the road."

Mrs Jones said that she remembered playing there from the late 1980s.

"We would be there pretty much straight after school, playing and meeting other children from the estate, we had nowhere else to go, nowhere else to play, that's where we met."

When asked if she still used the green at the age of 18 before leaving for University, Mrs Jones replied: "I would still be messing around there.

"Nature of the play might have changed but we would still socialise and gather to meet there.".

A decision is expected from committee members in writing in eight weeks time.