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Local campaigners have won a new village green at Barra Close, Highworth near Swindon.
However, approximately 5,000 square feet of the land had been fenced off during a neighbour dispute, and this part of the land still has to be registered as village green. This week the fences were removed and now local campaigners are in the process of applying to the local authority for the remainder of the land to be granted village green status.
The society is delighted that the land has been restored to the people. The adjoining residents had erected fences to try to incorporate part of the open space into their gardens, but their planning application for change of use, and subsequent appeal, were rejected, so the fences must come down.
Meanwhile, the villagers objected to part of the land being filched, and gathered evidence of 20 years use of the area for informal recreation by local people so that it could be registered as a green.
By registering the land as a green they secure their rights to enjoy the land for informal recreation, and ensure the land cannot be developed.
Highworth Community Partnership Group supported the campaigners wholeheartedly, and is now overseeing the green. It has come to an agreement with Swindon Borough Council for the council to maintain it on behalf of the community.