Residents dream of what Shrewsbury park could become after council's vow to return it
As blackbirds sing, families walk their dogs and children play nearby, a community is filled with hope that they could soon have their park back.
A patch of land at Greenfields Recreation Ground in Shrewsbury lies fenced off and has become more and more wild and overgrown in the years since it was sold off by the town council, prompting a clash with residents.
Now, after several years, Shrewsbury Town Council has "unreservedly" apologised over the £550,000 sale to a housing developer, and although residents aren't celebrating yet, they can dream about what could be created. The council has vowed to help return the land for community use.
After the apology was issued, the Shropshire Star visited the park, where campaigners from the Greenfields Community Group were in a buoyant mood.
Resident and nature lover Marion Curtis explained about the wildlife in the woodland.
"This park means a lot to the community. Behind me you can see a beautiful mature hedge, quite a few different species, mostly hawthorn - it's full of sparrows.
"You can hear a blackbird singing. There's a lime tree, there are trees all around. There's brambles, and there will be nests in there. There are animal trails going through, there are badgers in the area which probably pass through. It's just beautiful to hear the birds. There are insects in there. It's green, and that's what we need."
The land, which used to be a tree nursery and a popular place for walkers and kids making their way to and from school, would have been stripped of nature and wildlife and replaced with 15 homes, had it not been for the diligent work of the group.
Colin Harper, a Greenfields resident of 30 years, was one of the first to pick up the campaigning baton, and when first knocking on doors and handing out leaflets, he found Dr Peter Day, an academic who helped spearhead a strong residents' campaign and legal challenge, which is due to go all the way to the Supreme Court in December.
Marion added: "I don't think people realise just how much he was doing, we owe him a lot."
Protests and fundraisers to boost the legal challenge have taken place over the years, and with the latest development, victory is edging nearer.
Colin is hopeful that he and his neighbours will be able to enjoy it again soon. "We haven't been able to get into it for the best part of five years," he said. "The kids could go back into it (when it is returned) and the residents could go through it."
Some are keen for the park to become some kind of nature trail, that would provide a place for residents old and young to enjoy and that would support wildlife.
But such hopes still remain a way off, as the community considers talks with the council to come to an arrangement, and the Supreme Court case looms. Scepticism remains among residents, given the lengthy nature of the saga.
"The main thing is that the council sticks to their word," added Colin.
The council's new stance, which came following an inquiry into the land sale by Michael Redfern QC, did come as a surprise to the campaigners.
One group member, Ben Jephcott, said: "The meeting was welcome, but we didn't know until the last possible moment. Now they need to see it through. They need to realise they have made an error in their procedure."
