PETERSFIELD students have launched a petition aimed at getting a meadow donated to the town to keep it safe from future development.

The online petition launched on Monday by pupils at The Petersfield School (TPS) had already attracted more than 650 signatures when the Post went to press (Tuesday afternoon).

The 11-acre water meadow between Borough Road, the school and the Tesco supermarket off The Causeway, is owned by the store and is up for sale.

TPS environmental prefect Annika Loh said her worst fear was that houses could be built on it at some point in the future.

She added: “There is a huge amount of biodiversity on it, and as a water meadow it supports plants and wildlife that wouldn’t grow elsewhere.”

TPS head boy Callum King said as well as being a diverse wildlife habitat, the meadow provided a path into town for students and Cranford Road residents.

He also said the TPS student council is hoping Petersfield Infant School and Herne Junior School will also support the petition.

He added: “It’s really important that nothing happens to the water meadow.

“To keep it safe we are asking that it is gifted to Petersfield Town Council to be kept as an open space for everyone to use.

“A copy of our campaign flyer is going to infant school parents.

“We also hope to get the support of Herne as well.”

A TPS spokesman said the students had the full backing of the school. When it closes, the petition will be sent Tesco chief executive officer David Lewis urging him to give the meadow to the town council.

The petition says: ‘We are writing in support of the request to grant this land as a gift to the people of Petersfield to be managed by Petersfield Town Council in perpetuity.

‘The land, which isn’t suitable for building, has great amenity value as a local green space.

‘This action is in the long term interests of our community, and makes sense both environmentally and socially.’

Town council spokesman Steve Field said the council had contacted Tesco when the land was put up for sale earlier this year, but, as of yet Tesco hadn’t responded.

He added the council would still be happy to take over the land for the town.

A spokesman said Tesco would always respond to concerns raised in a petition.

To sign the petition, log on to the following website:?www.change.org/p/tesco- save-the-petersfield-water- meadows-for-community- usage