Large grass open space handed over to Wootton Parish Council from Northampton Borough

The borough council’s planning committee unanimously agreed on Tuesday (September 1) to transfer an open space to Wootton Parish Council.

The grassed open space lies adjacent to Wooldale Road towards the southern part of Wootton Fields. The borough council said that once it was in their control, the Parish Council will be in ‘a better position to manage access arrangements and maintenance of the land’.

Planning papers concluded: “Given that both parties are in a position to progress the land transfer, it is considered that this is a reasonable request to allow the long-term management of the land, for the benefit of the residents of Wootton.”

Members of the planning committee unanimously agreed to the proposals, with Councillor Matt Golby saying: “I’m very pleased to support this. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of parish councils to deliver enhanced communities and this is the sort of thing we should be encouraging as far as I’m concerned.”

Labour councillor Cathrine Russell questioned: “I haven’t come across this before in my term on the planning committee. Is it quite common for this type of transfer to take place without any financial exchange?”

She was told by planning officer Nicky Toon that the parties were ‘in negotiations for an appropriate sum for maintenance’.