IT TOOK a House of Lords ruling and a four-year legal battle to establish North Oxford’s Trap Grounds as a town green.

But almost three years on, the Friends of the Trap Grounds have come under fire for focusing on wildlife instead of people and creating their own nature reserve.

It has been claimed that the idea of establishing a town green, which won widespread public support, has been quietly dropped. And rather than creating an open space for local residents, the site near Port Meadow has been made difficult to access with an absence of pathways so as not to disturb wildlife.

Rosanne Bostock, who contributed towards the £50,000 fighting fund to secure a town green, says she has been “appalled” at what has happened to the Trap Grounds, with large sections of it fenced off.

Ms Bostock said: “I thought it would be an open green, with trees and paths, lighting of a gentle kind, benches and swings; a place, that people would walk through.

“Basically, it is being run as a nature reserve with guided tours to see glow worms. There are no facilities for children.

“I had hoped families would be able to walk through it from St Philip and James Primary School in the mornings and afternoons. This is not possible because it is fenced off across Navigation Way.”

But Catherine Robinson, secretary of the Friends of the Trap Grounds, said: “We have always made it perfectly clear that the reason we set out to save the Trap Grounds was because it was a wildlife sanctuary.

“What we do not want are hard surfaces and artificial lighting so that people can use the Trap Grounds as a shortcut. We never gave the impression that a town green would mean turning it into a play area.

“Much of the wildlife is sensitive and rare. But within our vision of preserving the wildlife we are seeking to make it more accessible.” Ms Robinson said there were long-term plans to create more paths and to fell some some trees.

North Oxford city councillor Jim Campbell said: “In many ways ‘town green’ is a misnomer. I think the Friends of the Trap Grounds did a remarkable job. But I do believe something should be done to improve access. I personally would like to see another entrance to it.”

Oxford City Council had wanted to build 45 affordable homes on the Trap Grounds, but withdrew its plans following the House of Lords ruling.