Residents oppose sale of Therfield Heath land for housing

Residents have condemned the proposed sale of land at Therfield Heath.

As revealed in the Crow last week, the Conservators of Therfield Heath want to sell a piece of the heath, adjacent to Briary Lane, for housing development.

But nearby residents say the land, which falls outside the heath’s Site of Special Scientific Interest, provided a space for children to play.

Anji Copeland, of Wicker Hall, was one of a number of people to contact the Crow.

She said: “When the football pitch was still in use by loads of children and adults every day, so much so the goalmouth by the posts were eroded by continued use, the conservators were walking around with a developer with detailed plans in his hands. The first stage of the ‘development’ was to take down the posts.

“Then a few months passed and the grass was left to overgrow, so that children could not use it. Where are children going to go now?”

The Conservators say the cost of the upkeep of the Briary Lane land, which is separate to the main heath, was prohibitive, and that the money could be better spent providing extra sporting and recreational facilities.

A new piece of land adjacent to the heath will be purchased to replace the area being sold.