AN attempt to scupper plans for a cycle track by getting a Bournemouth park listed as a town green is proving controversial.

There are just a few days left for users of Slades Farm in Ensbury Park to have their say on whether the area should be designated a town green.

But there is confusion as to what town green status will mean for the park, with both sides being accused of misleading residents.

The town green application has been drawn up by residents hoping to block plans to build a cycle track on Slades Farm.

Jean Scovell, chair of the Enbury Park Residents’ Association, insisted town green status would not affect any of the activities that currently take place on Slades Farm.

“Some residents appear to have been misled into thinking that there will be radical changes in the usage of the area if the application is successful,” she said. “Nothing will change. Football, cricket, cycling classes for children and all other leisure activities will continue as now.”

But Michael Rowland, the council’s green spaces officer, said this was not true.

“We’ve got a barrister defending our case who is an expert on town greens,” he said. “His view is that virtually everything we do there right now goes out the window if it becomes a town green. That includes Boredom Busters, football, cricket – everything.

“People have been misled about the cycle track and that’s a shame. It would be disastrous if the plans had to be scrapped.”

There have also been several other objections from footballers who use the park. Mark Inkpen, chairman of the South West Evangelical Alliance football league, said: “Lots of young people enjoy using the Slades Farm facility especially for football on Saturday afternoons and it would be a massive shame for them not to be able to do this in the future.”

And Gary Blanch, who plays cricket at Slades Farm, said: “We are local residents and we use the park regularly. We are not against the cycle track, just the town green application.”

The deadline for objections is February 13.