A PARISH council insists it has not wasted public money despite funding a village playing field project that has since been refused permission to go ahead.

Wickwar Parish Council contributed £40,000 to the Wickwar Playing Field Association's £85,000 purchase of 15 acres of land in March 2006.

But last week, South Gloucestershire Council refused the association planning permission to turn the land into a playing field on the grounds of safety.

The parish council is already under investigation from government-appointed auditors Mazars for not providing parishioners with best value for money following a complaint by a villager.

Wickwar Parish Council leader Cllr Martin Summers told the Gazette: "I believe the grant was not a waste of public money.

"People in the village asked for playing field in a parish plan so we, after great discussion, contributed to the cause.

"When a piece of land in a good location and with nearby facilities comes up for sale everyone had to make a decision very quickly.

"You hear every day how government departments squander public money, at least in our case the village still owns a piece of land all can see.

"Out of the whole village we have only had one person complain, I believe it was with the village's support we made the grant."

Chairman of the Wickwar Playing Fields Association John Broad said the association was to try again for planning permission.

He said: "We were obviously disappointed the council decided to turn our application down.

"There was funding we had attained for equipment on the playing field, some of which will now be lost with the planning refusal.

"We will now have a review of our plans and work on points raised for the refusal in view of a future planning application."

Mr Broad said there had been clear benefits in the association buying the land.

"As village land it is protected," he said. "Since we took it on we have cleared 20 tonnes of fly tipping and put down allotments which are already booked up.

"Our main aim is still to increase sports provision in the village which we are confident we can achieve."

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "The planning application was refused on this occasion.

"The committee wanted to support the application, however there were problems with potentially dangerous access and visibility near the site entrance.

"We are currently working with the applicant to help resolve these issues."

Mazars are expected to release a report of their investigation on the parish council in the coming weeks.