Thrilled residents of Newton Grove, Malmesbury, are delighted their persistent lobbying has paid off after North Wiltshire District Council reversed its decision to make a play area smaller.

Executive members of the district council made a U-turn on the issue last Tuesday night.

The park is next to the former outdoor swimming pool, which Westlea Housing Association wants to flatten to build 19 affordable homes.

Under the original plan the play area would have been cut by 24 per cent much to residents' anger.

Although Westlea had promised to invest £70,000 on improving equipment, residents complained the plan would deprive their children.

Only last month Malmesbury town councillors accused the district council of plundering Malmesbury and reducing it to slum.

Then North Wiltshire MP James Gray stepped up the pressure last Tuesday when he visited the play area and asked mayor Patrick Goldstone to support the campaign.

In a letter to the district council, Coun Goldstone lobbied members to listen to the arguments of Newton Grove residents.

The matter was resolved during the executive's question and answer session when district and county councillor John Thomson asked for the playground plans to be reconsidered.

He was told the current size of the playground would be retained and new proposals considered for the development of the site.

Brian Goswell, chairman of the Newton Grove recreation committee, said he was happy with the result.

"I am absolutely delighted but also tempered with caution to see what the new proposals will involve," he said. "Hopefully we will be included in the new consultation. We were a small voice to start off with but by working together as a community and with local councillors we have achieved a result."