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Treasured public spaces across the UK are being sold off and lost to private interests at an alarming rate. We’re supporting a community in Shropshire to save their local green space – and we’re now awaiting a judgment from the Supreme Court.
Greenfields Recreation Ground, in Shropshire, has been a resource to local families since 1926; generations of families have played in it. Throughout that time, the land has been held and managed as recreational land by the council on behalf of the community. But in 2017 it was sold off to a developer – for high-end housing. The community was not consulted and the sale was not advertised, despite there being a legal requirement to do so.
This is not an isolated example. Up and down the country, we are seeing our public spaces disappear into private hands.
In December 2022, we went to the Supreme Court with Peter Day and members of the Greenfields Community Group for the case to be heard.
The judges were engaged in the arguments put forward by the legal team representing Peter and the Greenfields Community Group, and the group left feeling positive about the day.
The outcome of the case may be delayed, however, as the Court suggested that the Attorney General may need to be given the opportunity to have their say, due to their obligations around protecting the public interest. This further highlights that the case is deemed to be of significant public importance.
The pandemic reminded us how important our public spaces are. They are where we come together, exercise, meet our neighbours, make new friends, walk our dogs – and put down roots in our communities.
We want public land to be held for the public, not sold out from under them without consultation.
If you are in a position to support this case, you can do so here.
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