RESIDENTS who were setting themselves up for a fight to protect a public open space can breathe a sigh of relief now plans have been withdrawn to build a wall around the area.

A planning application to build a wall around Medieval Hall at the back of Stroud high street has been withdrawn by the applicant Trevor Barnes after a group of residents protested against the proposal.

According to a spokesman from Stroud Preservation Trust, which is the freehold owner of the Medieval Hall, a meeting was arranged between the trust, the police and the leasehold owner on Thursday, May 29 in order to discuss the issues which arose from the application.

The spokesman said: “We appreciate the public call to save this space for Stroud although it does belong to the building and has been used in a permissive way for many years.

“It is however a gathering place for groups of people who can be abusive and drink heavily and that has affected traders and residents in the building and around the area.”

During the meeting it was agreed that the planning application would be withdrawn and other measures to try to curb the street nuisance would be looked into.