IF a piece of land is used by local people for sports, sunbathing and picnics for more than 20 years, does that make the area a village green?

This was the question facing planning inspector Andrew Roberts at a public inquiry last week.

Lyndon Frayling and Gareth Griffiths, both residents of Fleming Crescent, Haverfordwest, submitted an application on February 7th 2006, to register land near Fleming Crescent as a village green.

They claimed it qualified as a green because it had been used for more than 20 years by a significant number of inhabitants, who used the area as of right'.

Their application to the registration authority was supported with 36 evidence questionnaires and a petition.

Jennifer John, of Fleming Crescent, was a witness for the applicants. She said: "I use the green to walk the dog and for picking blackberries."

Another witness, Dennis Laugharne, said he thought he had rights over the land "because we have always used it".

However, Pembrokeshire County Council, which owns the land, opposed the application, questioning the regularity of the area's use, and arguing residents did not use the land by right'.

Pembrokeshire Housing Association, which is planning to buy the land from the council for affordable housing, also opposed the application.

Barry Denyer Green, representing the council, said no residents had complained when the council converted some of the land into parking spaces in the early 1990's because they knew that they didn't have a right' to the land.

A report containing Mr Roberts' decision will be considered by the planning and rights of way committee when they decide the status of the land.