LEGAL chiefs at Fenland District Council have moved swiftly to re-enforce their ownership of Wisbech Market Place. The council confirmed this week they had now registered the Market Place with the Land Registry in their hope it will end speculation over o

LEGAL chiefs at Fenland District Council have moved swiftly to re-enforce their ownership of Wisbech Market Place.

The council confirmed this week they had now registered the Market Place with the Land Registry in their hope it will end speculation over ownership.

A council spokesman said the process involved placing an application with the Land Registry stating that the Fenland owned the Market Place.

"They were happy to accept we were the owners- job done," said a spokesman.

The decision, if allowed to remain unchallenged, should end the deadlock over the future possible pedestrianisation proposals for the centre of town.

Wisbech Mayor Jonathan Farmer had queried ownership when recommendations for progress came before a recent Fenland Traffic Management Area Joint Committee.

Decisions were postponed after some legal wrangling and Perry Holmes, Fenland's head of legal services, was called to the meeting to try and resolve the issue.

He assured members of the committee that Fenland District Council owned the Market Place but has now re-confirmed that ownership with his successful application to the Land Registry.

Some residents and shopkeepers have opposed pedestrianisation and petitions have been presented to the committee to stop a new scheme going ahead which would severely restrict access.

Carl Holland, Fenland's finance manager, reported this week that land ownership records across the district are being reviewed "to ensure that land is registered to the council where appropriate".

He added that the work has been given high priority and that registration is now "significantly completed".