Cold feet? (Barnet Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barnet Borough Liberal Democrats <info@barnetlibdems.org.uk>

Cold feet?

November 26, 2008 12:00 AM
By Cllr Jack Cohen in Hendon Times

My email in box has been red hot this last week. I have been contacted by many residents in N3.

They have been asking me to support their application to register land as a Village Green.

The piece of land is known as Greensquare Field, it lies to the rear of Briarfield Avenue.

The Law provides that residents can apply for Village Green Status if there is sufficient evidence to show that the land meets the requirements laid down by Act of Parliament.

Basically the test is; has the land exceeded twenty years use for lawful sports and pastimes, as of right by a significant number of local inhabitants.

Of course there is often more to this than meets the eye. Clued up local residents know this is a legitimate democratic devise to stop development of the land.

The application was due to be discussed this evening at the Planning and Environment Committee.

The Council Officers obviously thought the residents had a good case. Their report recommended granting Village Green Status.

The private owner of the land had objected no surprises there.

When I arrived at the meeting, I had expected a packed public gallery given the level of support and interest of local people.

How ever I overheard someone say that the item had been withdrawn. No one bothers to tell Councillors in advance.

The reason soon became clear .The landowner had submitted a detailed letter criticising the Council's report. The letter referred to case law and hinted darkly at legal action if the Council goes ahead an approves the application We were told that the officers will now consider the letter and come back to committee at a later date.

Watch this space.

Coincidentally there was another separate application for Village Green Registration. This piece of land is known as Quinta Public Open Space and is located at Mays Lane Barnet.

Ms Georgina Theodorou, Chair of Quinta Grange Residents' Association addressed the committee in support of the application.

The Council Officers again in their report conceded that evidence had been produced that the land use met the requirements of the Act.

There was one objection. This was from the Landowner.

Who is the Landowner? Step forward Barnet Council The Officers felt it was too complicated to make a decision. They recommended that the issue be decided by an independent inspector.

The Committee agreed.

The cost of this inquiry? In the region of ten thousand pounds