Whittingham Parish Council is now the proud owner of 'the green' in the middle of Cumeragh Village's Square and two smaller areas nearby – after paying owners the Homes and Communities Agency just £100.
And by purchasing the land, the council has not only ensured no would-be developers can get their hands on it in the future, but it can also now look to improve the areas, which have been registered as 'public open spaces'.
Parish council clerk, John Curtis explained that just over three years ago, when the council was looking to improve play equipment on what is commonly known as The Square, councillors not only discovered they were unable to apply for grants as they did not own the land, but also that the then owners, state regeneration agency English Partnerships, had been told by the Government to sell its land holdings.
Fearing that possible development plans for The Square could re-emerge at some stage, as happened in the early 80s, and that the council's 999-year lease taken out in l991 might not prevent such a threat, Mr Curtis says Whittingham council entered into negotiations with EP "to secure the land indefinitely".
Although he says this was "put on the back burner for a while," due to a number of reasons including EP becoming the Homes and Communities Agency, Mr Curtis says the council is now happy to announce the deal has been struck.
There is, however, a 50-year clawback provision due to the nominal sum of the sale – far from the current market price – that if Whittingham council was to develop the land in any way in the future, increasing its value, the HCA would be able to reclaim the monies involved.
Funding
Mr Curtis added that the council was now working with residents, through an advisory parks and open spaces sub-committee, to see what is wanted at The Square. Top of the list is new play equipment, and a group similar to the recently formed 'Friends of Goosnargh Village Green' will be set up to look at registering the land in the middle of The Square as a village green and applying for funding.
No-one is happier with the news than parish council chairman Coun Stan Hunter, who has been working on the The Square gaining 'village green' status for years.