Community group vows to fight controversial Shrewsbury housing plans
A community group has vowed to fight plans to build homes on land which they claim was sold illegally.
Last week Shropshire Council granted planning permission for 15 homes to be built off Falstaff Street, Shrewsbury.
But Greenfields Community group has long argued that the land should never have been sold because it forms part of Greenfields Recreation Ground.
They have today said they are seeking a review over the way Shrewsbury Town Council sold the land.
However, town clerk Helen Ball, said the council has nothing to hide and the sale was "completely above board".
She said an old development plan showed the piece of land in question was classed as 'white land' and therefore could potentially be developed.
Greenfields Community group, led by resident Peter Day, has since obtained the deeds from the Land Registry which allegedly shows it is part of designated parkland.
Naive
He said: "When I saw this map, I thought 'bingo'. The deeds from 1926 clearly show the park and this section is clearly part of it.
"I feel like we've all been naive because you just assume that your council will act on your behalf. We thought they must be correct but the more I looked into it I couldn't believe it."
Mr Day said his research has uncovered that the land was temporarily changed into allotments for the war effort in 1942.
He added: "It doesn't seem like there was ever an official change of use. But it was also then never changed back so it's just remained in this holding position. It should have been returned back to the public.
"We just want some transparency and democratic accountability. I'd like there to be a review into how all of this was conducted."
In 2012 the town council was granted planning permission for eight eco-homes but sold the land before building commenced.
Mrs Ball said: "As far as we're concerned, we don't think there's anything this council has done that would suggest any wrongdoing.
"In the early 2000s the site became baron so we looked at cutting some trees down. We then did various consultations and put in a planning application for eight eco-homes.
"At that point we decided to put it on the market and the boards went up on the land. It was very open and above board."
