TURVES: Surprise over proposals for land origanally intended for a children's play area

I WAS surprised to read the article concerning proposals to build on land at Turves, originally intended as a children s play area.  It is very remarkable that the land is owned by someone other than the Fenland District Council. If the original Planning

I WAS surprised to read the article concerning proposals to build on land at Turves, originally intended as a children's play area.

It is very remarkable that the land is owned by someone other than the Fenland District Council.

If the original Planning Approval designated the area for play, then FDC should have ensured that when the housing development was completed that the play area was finished to their requirements and they (FDC) should have registered their ownership of the land with Land Registry.

This case is very similar to that of land off Cavalry Drive in March where FDC failed to register land that was rightfully a play area, following development of surrounding housing.

One wonders how many more parcels of what should be public open space across FDC area are still languishing in the wrong ownership, and how many children are being deprived of play areas to which they are entitled?

I suggest that FDC audits its open space and land registry records, preferably as a matter of urgency.

(And at the same time, perhaps FDC might care to liaise with County Council Highways Dept and perform an audit to ascertain how many housing estates still haven't had their roads/footpaths/sewers completed and 'adopted' by the local authority - an issue on which I am still awaiting answers).

CHRISTINE COLBERT

Chatteris Town Councillor (Liberal Democrat)