It is hoped 14 public spaces on Sheppey will be protected from being built on after a proposal put forward as part of Swale council’s draft local plan.

Minster Parish Council has officially put in a request in response to the authority’s Bearing Fruits policy, which outlines the borough’s development strategy for the next 20 years.

The representations are for 13 sites in Minster and one in Sheerness to be designated as local green spaces.

They are: Windy Gap at the top of Chequers Road; Thistle Hill community woodland; The Leas; Seathorpe picnic area; the Round Hill field at the end of the sea wall; Nunnery Grove; the Garden of Remembrance in Love Lane; Noreen Avenue play area; Minster cricket field; Minster Cliffs; Lovell Road, Lapwing Close play area; and land at the corner of New Road and Prince Charles Avenue.

Barton’s Point Coastal Park in Sheerness has also been put forward by the council.

Parish clerk Trish Codrington said: “Open space is very important for people, particularly play areas for young children and families. It’s somewhere they can go out and just enjoy some nice time in the open air.

“We don’t want to see the whole of Minster covered in development – it should have a certain amount of green space in each area and this will ensure they will be able to be used by local residents.”

The bid comes after two areas in Minster were awarded official village green status which also means they cannot ever be built on.

In September 2012, the parish council found out its application to protect the Scrapsgate playing field had been successful.

Two years before that, The Glen was also safeguarded thanks to parish councillors acting quickly after they discovered a change in planning law meant areas which were historically used for free by the public could be registered as a village green and protected so they remain available as recreational space in future.

A spokesman for Swale council said the merit of the suggested sites is currently being assessed and it is expected a report will be put before members of the Local Development Framework Panel at its meeting on Thursday, February 20.

If it is recommended these sites are allocated in the plan, this will be subject to a period of further public consultation.