Council's legal bid to stop potential successor developing sites

COUNCIL leaders say proposed new legal protections will stop open spaces being developed under a future ‘super council!

- Phil Corrigan

Newcastle Borough Council is applying to have dozens of sites registered with Fields in Trust - a national charity which works with landowners to protect parks and green spaces.

Under the scheme, the council and charity would sign a deed of dedication for each site, ensuring they are retained for public use ‘in perpetuity’. Cabinet members received an update on the work during their meeting on Tuesday, and were told applications for 17 sites had been submitted with five more due to be made by the end of November.

The council aim to register up to 88 sites with Fields in Trust before local government reorganisation, which could see a new North Staffordshire unitary authority replace it.

Council leader Simon Tagg believes the legal protection of Fields in Trust will ensure the new unitary will not be able to build on the sites.