A DEVELOPER'S plans to auction off a parcel of green space in Basingstoke that it owed to the public has been thwarted, thanks to the swift action of residents and a county councillor.

The land, known as Lot 196, in The Cornfields, Hatch Warren, was listed for auction by Taylor Wimpey with a guide price of £5,000.

Local residents quickly spotted the listing and alerted county councillor Stephen Reid and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) about the attempted sale.

Further investigations by Cllr Reid revealed that the land was supposed to be transferred to the council many years ago as part of the original planning permission agreement for the neighbourhood, but Taylor Wimpey remained the owner.

However, BDBC has been maintaining the land.

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Following an intervention from the council, Taylor Wimpey withdrew the listing.

A BDBC spokesperson said the council is taking steps following the developer’s plan to sell it.

They continued: “We understand this parcel of land was put up for sale at an auction but has now been withdrawn. We are continuing to look at what steps the council can take about this area of public open space.”

Taylor Wimpey confirmed the land has not been adopted by the local authority yet.

A spokesperson said: “Following feedback from a small number of local residents, we can confirm that we have withdrawn a parcel of land at The Cornfields from the upcoming auction. As the current owner of this land, we are exploring our options and will engage with local residents as appropriate.”

Cllr Reid, who represents Basingstoke South West on Hampshire County Council, expressed concern about the developer's motives and the council's response.

"Was this a permanent withdrawal or just temporary?" he questioned, urging the council to take necessary steps to secure the land for public ownership.

Cllr Reid also suggested the council claim "factual possession" of the land to facilitate a legal transfer, rectifying "an error made many years ago". 

Simon Preedy, one of the first residents who alerted the council about the plan to auction the land, said there were similar attempts in the past to sell a piece of land in Broadhurst Grove in Lychpit.

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Mr Preedy called for the council to undertake a review of the number of such lands that are yet to be transferred to the council.

“Our elected representatives should now be investigating to see if there are other parcels of amenity land which our council may have forgotten to follow through with a Section 52 agreement, on housing developments built in the last 40 years," he said. 

“That would have protected the land and transferred the ownership from developer to council. Meanwhile, our council continues to maintain amenity land, at taxpayer's expense, when they don't even own them! Just how many more parcels of land like this can there be?"

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Basingstoke MP Maria Miller said this episode raises concerns that the council may not be effectively protecting the green space residents value so highly.

She said: "Protecting green space is important to residents, yet we see that the protection put in place by the council has fallen short. And this isn't the first time. A petition to protect the Old Down, supported by thousands of residents and a vote in full council is still to be acted on by the council.

"Are there other areas of green space in Basingstoke's estates that could be sold off by house builders? Rather than just talking about the importance of green space the Independent-led council needs to act, first to make Old Down a Local Nature Reserve and second to review all the areas of green space in the borough to ensure those maintained by the council on behalf of residents cannot then be 'sold off' by house builders."