Village green bid withdrawn

Controversial plans to turn a patch of land in a south Shropshire town into a village green have been withdrawn, it has emerged.

But the applicants have warned it could open the floodgates for future development in Ashbrook Fields, Church Stretton.

The application to register Ashbrook Fields was set to go before an independent barrister planning committee.

But the applicants, the Churchill Road Residents Association, issued a statement today withdrawing the application.

It reads: "An independent tribunal to consider the application was arranged for the end of September. The residents looked forward to the tribunal and a fair hearing. The South Shropshire Housing Association objected to the application and began forming a legal team to represent them.

"The residents association were advised by the legal charity Elflaw that their application was absolutely legal and valid, but to be successful, they would need the services of a barrister to represent them.

"These costs would be very high and the residents association do not have the funds necessary to cover them."

In order for a piece of land to be declared a village green applicants must prove that it has been used by residents to play lawful sports and pastimes for a number of years.