WORRIED residents are concerned that popular community land is being sold off by the council.
According to a public notice published in last week’s Guardian, 51 sites across Warrington are being signed over to Golden Gates Housing Trust Ltd.
This has led to fears that the company could sell the plots to make room for new property development.
Roy Humphries is chairman of the Longford Residents’ Association which recently spent £170,000 on a community garden on Clough Avenue, where land is being sold to Golden Gates.
Pool Avenue and part of Northway are also listed in the disposal notice for Longford, and Mr Humphries labelled the move as ‘scare mongering’.
He said: “They don’t consult with anyone but this could affect a lot of people.
“It’s common courtesy to inform us about what’s going on, especially when we have spent so much money on the garden.
“They don’t ever bother coming out to have a look around the area to see what they are doing – it’s scare mongering.”
Also worried by the change in ownership are staff at Meadowside Primary School. Their pupils use the community garden for science lessons.
Sharon Dubique is a governor at the school and said: “Our ecology club visit the site once a fortnight and we also use it to grow vegetables and flowers.
“The children enjoy using it and it would be a nightmare if the garden is sold.”
Clough Avenue resident Kate Whittaker, age 29, said selling the garden would mean her children lose their only safe place to play, and neighbours on Northway have also reacted angrily to the news.
Chris Watson has lived on the road for 14 years and said: “It’s where all the kids play, and if it goes there’s nowhere for them to go.”
However the council has said the land listed will not be sold for private development.
Peter Taylor, assistant director for regeneration, housing and development said: “I would like to assure residents that the land identified in the notices is not available for sale and this transfer of ownership will not change the existing use.”
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