A valuable patch of land defended against developers for years could be saved for good after neighbours made their case for it to be classified an official Village Green.

On Tuesday a public inquiry opened to hear whether the land at the corner of Hornbeam Road and Chestnut Avenue, in Buckhurst Hill, should be permanantly protected from development.

Current owner Sheikh Hamidi, whose application to build a house and garage on the land was rejected by the District Council, has been battling against the Roding Valley Residents’ Committee.

Residents’ chairman Laurie Kubiak, of Hornbeam Road, opened their case at the meeting and told the Guardian he was optimistic.

He said: “I’m reasonably confident. Our case is much stronger than their’s, although we should never count our chickens.

“We are not hearing much from the other side. Their cross-examination seemed inconclusive.”

“It’s always been used as a village green. Kids have always played there, there have been picnics on it. People have picked blackberries or walked their dogs on it – the normal things people do on village greens.”

To be awarded Village Green status residents have to show that the land has been effectively used as a village green already for at least 20 years.

Long-term resident Roy Burnett said he had used the land as a village green since the 1930s, while teacher Lee Merriman said he had used that land for nature projects.

Solicitors acting for Sheikh Hamidi said the land could not have been used as a village green as it contains an electricity sub-station.

Inspector Ros Crail, who is leading the inquiry at the Quality Inn on Epping High Road, said the hearing may have to be extended due to the length of time it has taken up.

Committee member Joy Clover said: “I think it’s going well. Laurie did brilliantly and their legal team don’t look that great and they seem to be clutching at straws.

“We were just a bit depressed that it’s going quite slowly, but I feel personally it’s going really, really well.”

Sheikh Hamidi told the Guardian he thought the meeting was going well for him and he expected the residents’ appeal to fail.

He said: “It’s going fine. It is private land. I bought it as a private owner from a private owner. It has been sold three times.

“They can’t prove that this area has been a village green. There’s a station provided by EDF there with a ‘danger of death’ sign on it. The area isn’t suitable for playing on. It’s been in private ownership since 1935 and in my view isn’t a village green.”