RESIDENTS across Bristol are still fighting to save their green spaces from Bristol City Council's sell-off plan.

The council agreed to sell off more than 40 of the 64 sites earmarked with disposal under the Area Green Space Plan in December, in a bid to raise money for improvements in other parks across the city.

The council cabinet agreed to save nine of the sites following public consultation, while others were deferred for further consultation.

A decision on one of the sites – Lodge Hill open space – was put off until the council could decide whether part of it would be sold or turned over for allotments.

Residents still weren't happy with this as more than 960 of them had signed a petition saying they wanted the site left as it is. Campaigners in Hillfields are now hopeful though that the authority has finally listened to them.

Although the council hasn't confirmed the site is saved just yet, ward Councillor Patrick Hassell is distributing leaflets in the area saying it has been.

A meeting of the local Neighbourhood Partnership is due to discuss the site at a meeting next week.

If they recommend the whole site is kept then the council has indicated it will support their view.

Campaigner Rosemarie Rendu-Jefferies has fought alongside other residents for months against the sell-off plan.

She said: "The leaflets say 'Lodge Hill Saved', and that no buildings will be on there.

"I'm slightly worried there's no mention of the allotments, but Patrick has assured me there won't be any."

Mrs Rendu-Jefferies said to celebrate residents were planning on planting plants donated by Blaise Nursery this weekend.

But she has stressed that although pleased with this result, they still oppose the concept of selling off green spaces as a way of raising money to improve others.

She said: "That's not what we're about.

"We're not about saving ours to be paid for by others.

"Pauline Potter, Alan Chambers and myself are now attending the Neighbourhood Partnership meetings and finding them very useful.

"We are talking about having our benches back, the council has already improved the lane on the green with bark chippings and it is about to become officially a Public Right of Way."

Mr Hassell's Lib Dem "Focus" leaflet states: 'None of Lodge Hill will be sold for development.'

"The extra consultation Patrick carried out showed overwhelming opposition to losing any part of this space, even if it meant sacrificing the chance of improved facilities there. Patrick has now been assured that plans to sell part of it have been dropped."

The Evening Post was unable to contact Mr Hassell last night for comment, but in the newsletter he says that the decision shows the Lib Dems do listen and that consultation is real.

Council spokesman James Easey said: "As stated in the cabinet decision – we would ask the Neighbourhood Partnership to advise cabinet of the choice of land use for Lodge Hill.

"The NP will meet next week – Thursday 24th – and we shall await their views, although the strong feedback of the local ward member – Councillor Hassell – following his extensive local consultation is to save the whole site as green space.

"We would therefore be very surprised if the Neighbourhood Partnership took a different view."