PLANS to explore the sale of a portion of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Sports Field by Melksham Without Parish Council have been put on hold.
In January it was announced that an undisclosed Bowerhill-based business had approached the parish council to purchase an estimated 20% of the sports field to allow for expansion and to create more jobs for the area.
However, the business has decided to put the proposal on hold. Parish clerk, Teresa Strange, told Melksham News, “The potential purchaser has put the project on hold for the time being, but that is all I can say.”
The potential sale of the land had raised concern amongst Bowerhill residents, but the parish council has offered reassurance that the land is protected by Fields in Trust, the independent charity that protects parks and green spaces in the UK, allowing people to enjoy in perpetuity, meaning that the sale of land would have strict terms and conditions. One condition is that any land sold is replaced with another piece of recreation land that is the same size or bigger, and is still easily accessible by the community that used the former piece of land.
Teresa said “The parish council have not agreed to the sale – only to explore the possibility and options to the parish council. For now the project is on hold, but if negotiations were to reopen, Fields in Trust would have the final say on the matter.”
