Inquiry to give public say on Slades Farm (From Bournemouth Echo)

Inquiry to give public say on Slades Farm

8:00am Saturday 17th October 2009 in Search By Melanie Vass

A PUBLIC inquiry to decide the future of Slades Farm in Bournemouth will take place next week.

The four-day hearing next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday will consider whether the open space should be registered as a town green.

The application was made by Jean Scovell, of the Ensbury Residents’ Association, after the council unveiled plans to build a community cycle track there.

She claims the cycle track will restrict residents’ enjoyment of the open space and she has the support of national pressure group the Open Spaces Society.

The society has also accused the council of “scaremongering” by telling residents that town green status would prevent the land being used for football, cricket and Boredom Busters.

But Michael Rowland, the council’s leisure policy manager, said town green status would seriously affect the council’s future plans.

“Most of this area has been laid out as public playing fields for many years and we want to continue to offer this space to the community for playing sports and recreation,” he said.

“Potential future plans to relocate the children’s play area, build a new cycle track, replace the old buildings in a new location with a cafe and public toilets or to develop a small city farm would all be affected as fencing or building on any area of the park would not be allowed if it is determined that the space is a town green.”

The inquiry will be held at the town hall and will start at 10am on Monday.