A decade-long battle to stop 1,000 homes being built on the fields that inspired Watership Down is facing a final hurdle at an inquiry. West Berkshire District Council has refused several applications to build on Sandleford Park in Newbury since plans were first unveiled in 2011. Another application was rejected last year, prompting developers to appeal, with a Planning Inspectorate inquiry starting today. It is scheduled to last until May 28. The woodland inspired Richard Adams to pen his children's classic - with the author fighting against proposals before his death in 2016. Thousands of fans flock to Sandleford Warren each year to follow in the footsteps of the novel's gang of rabbits.