The home secretary has joined scores of residents in a battle against time as Cookham’s historic landscape faces being developed in to dozens of new homes.

MP Theresa May united with around 80 villagers at the launch of the ‘Save Poundfield’ campaign on Saturday (April 30) in a bid to stop Berkeley Homes transforming the beauty spot in to 31 houses.

The crusade against bulldozing the green space has rumbled on for five decades, with fears the scenery featured in the iconic painter Stanley Spencer’s work will be destroyed if the developers win.

Edward Millard, of Terry's Lane, who helped launch the campaign said: “We’re deeply concerned that this unspoilt green space at the heart of Cookham is at risk from future development and we need everyone to back our efforts to secure its future.

“Poundfield is one of the defining and much-loved green spaces at the heart of Cookham’s rural character and is enjoyed by many people every day. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

In February the RBWM unanimously backed a petition launched by the Cookham Society to designate the area as green space in the Borough local plan, which rallied up 1600 supporters.

However this will not be confirmed until the end of August – by which time Berkeley Homes are expected to have submitted its development proposals to the council.

Mr Millard continued: “This is a race where the starting gun has not quote gone off yet. We are raising awareness about making the land green space as well as the expected planning permission from Berkeley.

“Once the planning application goes in we will need to be extremely loud in our objections to the proposal. Our idea of success is in six months’ time the Berkley proposal will be rejected and Poundfield will be declared as a green space.”

Mrs May has backed the campaign saying Cookham is defined by its green spaces, and the Cookham Society said Poundfield is crucial to the villages character.

Chairman of the Cookham Society, Evert Groeneweg said: “Poundfield is a crucial green space contributing to the fundamental character of Cookham.

“The Cookham Society has been fighting to keep this oasis for nearly 50 years and we fully support the Save Poundfield campaign.”

For more information go to www.savepoundfield.co.uk