Hundreds vow to save Shropshire village play area
About 200 people have signed a petition to save the recreation ground in their Shropshire village.
A petition has been launched in Malpas, near Whitchurch, to save the play area which could soon see a car park built on site, as well as a slice of land removed.
The document, launched by Malpas parish councillor Charles Lowick Higgie, aims to protect the green land from being used by developers following the granting of planning permission to build 60 homes next to the field at West End Farm.
Mr Higgie said: "It is only a small slice of land that they are having, but at the bottom of the recreation ground they want to build a temporary car park. I don't see why we would take some of the land away that is being used to make sure children can play safely in the village. It is also used by the primary school, and I really don't feel that they have been consulted properly."
The petition urges the trustees of Malpas recreation ground not to allow any work to be done until full consultation with people around the village and the primary school has taken place.
But a statement from the trustees said: "Following lengthy negotiations and detailed discussions, the recreation ground trustees have now reached an agreement with both the Charity Commissioners and the developer of West End Farm.
"The agreement contains a number of options that will impact on land owned by the trustees, including a site office and a temporary workers' car park located at bottom of the recreation ground."
It said work would begin immediately and that the "financially favourable" decision would help enhance the play equipment and ensure the long term development of the village. It added that once work had been completed, it would hold a consultation about whether the car park would remain or return to a grassy area.
