Plans to build a golf course on an 800-year-old farm have been taken to the government after Barnet Council rejected them.

Bury Farm, Edgwarebury Lane, was defended by a petition signed by over 1,000 people when private contractors Bridgedown Ltd applied to the council to build an 18-hole golf course on the land in 2013.

Bridgedown, working with All Souls College in Oxford, who have owned the land since 1442, has now sought planning permission from the Secretary for Communities and Local Government by filing an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.

The Edgware Town Team rejected the proposal on the grounds the land was still good enough to farm on and did not need anything built on it to maintain its usefulness.

The Broadfields Estate residents’ association spearheaded community efforts to block the plans when they went to council.

Andrew Simon, chairman of the association, said: “I think it’s very sad they want to build on this lovely bit of green belt and turn it into an exclusive golf club only for members who can pay into it.

“Business is business, which I have no problem with, but this venture is about making profit for the land owners and the contractors, so to say this will be of benefit to the community at all is wrong.”

Defending the project, a spokesman for All Souls College said: “We think this is a recreational use very much within planning policy regarding the greenbelt.

“It will bring many new jobs to the area and the applicant is a company which manages many golf courses. It has done a full environmental assessment.”

Mr Simon dismissed the college’s claims as “an opportunity to make more money through protracted construction”.

The petition, which defeated the council application, was backed by Conservative MP for Hendon and Golders Green Matthew Offord and Labour London assembly member for Barnet Andrew Dismore.

Mr Offord described the land as “the lungs of Edgware” as the plans were rejected by the council last November.

People can make representations for or against the proposals on the Planning Inspectorate’s website until Tuesday August 9.