Lancaster woodland officially given Town Green status

Freeman’s Wood in the Marsh area of Lancaster has been successfully designated as a Town Green, following the decision made by a special sub-committee of Lancashire County Council in Preston this morning.
Jon Barry at Freeman's WoodJon Barry at Freeman's Wood
Jon Barry at Freeman's Wood

Former Lancaster City Coun Jon Barry, who made the original application in 2012 on behalf of the Friends of Freeman’s Wood, attended the County Hall public meeting and said he was delighted to hear the verdict first-hand:

He said: “This is wonderful news. I am thrilled that the County Council has agreed to endorse the Government Inspector’s report following the Public Inquiry held last August.

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"The designation of Freeman’s Wood as a Town Green is what we’ve been campaigning for since 2012.

Freemans WoodFreemans Wood
Freemans Wood

"The new status will protect this much-loved woodland from future development, preserving this important green space as a haven for wildlife and as a special place for local people to enjoy.”

“Thank you to everyone involved in the campaign: the 90 people who provided witness statements to say how they’d been using the land over the past twenty years or more, sixteen of whom agreed to be cross-examined at the Inquiry; the generous local community who supported our fund-raising efforts to pay legal fees – over £17,000 was raised in a few months last year: And of course, our barrister, Cain Ormondroyd, whose expertise was crucial to this outcome.”

Mandy Bannon, Councillor for Marsh ward, said: “This decision is a great victory for Friends of Freeman’s Wood and the local community who have worked tirelessly since 2012, to secure Town Green Status.

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"Freeman’s wood is a precious green space which has been used by generations of local people for recreation and leisure.

"It’s fantastic to know that people will still be able to walk their dogs, take exercise, play and explore there. It’s also great news for the many birds and animals such as deer and foxes who have made Freeman’s Wood their home.”

Jon Barry added: “Friends of Freeman’s Wood will be meeting shortly to discuss future plans for the site and whether it would be possible for the group to purchase the land.”

The Town Green application was submitted in 2012 by Jon Barry, who was at that time a City Councillor for Marsh Ward.

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The large green space, known locally as Freeman’s Wood, next to the cycle path at the end of New Quay Road, was partially fenced off by the landowner in late 2011, to the dismay of local residents who had always assumed that it was common land. In 2019, the owner applied for outline planning permission to build 250 houses on the land.

The designation of Town Green status is expected to now put a halt to this planning application.

The Town Green application was put to a Public Inquiry in August 2019, which resulted in a 134-page report by the presiding Planning Inspector.

He concluded that all the necessary requirements for a Town Green had been established in this case, accepting the evidence provided to the Inquiry that a significant number of people indulged ‘as of right’ in lawful sports and pastimes on the land for 20 years from the end of 1991 to the end of 2011.

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He recommended that the Town Green application be granted, subject to a very minor boundary change to exclude a small strip of land adjoining the Lune Industrial Estate.

It just remained for Lancashire County Council, as the registering authority to endorse the Inspector’s decision.

It is still potentially possible for Satnam (the development agent for the owners) to challenge the County Council’s decision by seeking a Judicial Review.

However, the Friends of Freeman’s Wood say they will vigorously defend any such application.