Finchley preservationists are demanding to know why a piece of land the council wants to sell has been deemed a public space on a new information map.

Long Lane Pasture has been closed to the public for more than ten years.

Now it is at the centre of a controversial council discussion on whether to sell it off to housing developers.

But on a newly constructed, large-scale map of the borough outside Tesco in Ballards Lane, the greenfield site is clearly labelled as a public open space -- land designated for the "specific purpose of public recreation".

London Wildlife Trust's Barnet branch chairman, Ann Brown, is amazed that the council is considering a housing development on the land if the map is correct.

"If this land is a public open space, as indicated on the map, why is the public denied access?" she asked.

Last year an application to build 89 one-bedroom flats on the land was made by Fairview New Homes. But following protests by conservationists, councillors deferred the application to allow an environmental survey to be carried out.

However, Mrs Brown says councillors are now debating the wrong issue.

She said: "They should be asking why this site has been closed to the public for so long and seek its immediate restoration as a public open space -- as is officially defined on the map."

A council spokesman said he was not prepared to comment but added that residents would be allowed to have their say after the survey was carried out.

The council's policy and implementation committee is due to consider the results in July.

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