PLAYING fields have sold for nearly three times the guide price at auction but concerns over whether the land will be used for ‘unsustainable development’ have already been raised.

The former playing field of St Mary’s School in Battenhall Road, Worcester, went under the hammer at the Crown and Sandys in Ombersley on Tuesday.

The guide price was £115,000 but the 6.58 acre site sold for £330,000 at a packed auction house.

The Worcester News understands there was high interest in the site from potential buyers which drove up the price for the playing fields.

The site features parking, a pavilion and a storage shed.

The land was the first lot of a public auction, through Andrew Grant.

The company declined to confirm the name of the buyer.

The city’s mayor Steve Mackay, who represents Battenhall, said he did not know who had purchased the land.

However, he said: “We will look at ways to preserve it against unsustainable development which might be contemplated in future.”

Cllr Mackay said constituents had already discussed the situation with him and a petition could be organised to stop any future development at the site that was deemed to be unsustainable.

He said Battenhall Road was effectively a cul-de-sac with no shops or amenities and the concern from residents was that the site would become overdeveloped.

The description on an advert for the site read: “The site amounts to around 6.58 acres and incorporates a tarmacked driveway, large grassed playing field, tarmacked parking area, a pavilion building providing changing and shower facilities, and a separate storage shed.

“The playing field is situated off Battenhall Road, in a residential area close to Worcester city centre, and well positioned for access to the M5.”

The site had been leased to the University of Worcester and at the end of the lease, in August, university staff have been instructed to remove all non-fixed items belonging to the University of Worcester, from the pavilion and grounds store.

The promotional material says 50 per cent of the access to the site, between the road and the gate and down the driveway, is owned by the university.

The land had been owned by the order of St Marie-Madeleine Postel who will receive 80 per cent of any profit because the land was sold within two years.

In May 2015, plans to build at nearby Middle Battenhall Farm were blocked by councillors, including county councillor Pat Agar.