Hugglescote residents to stage Teddy Bear Picnic protest against 'Reccy' Ground development

Hugglescote residents are holding a 'Teddy Bear Picnic' on Ashburton Recreation Ground tomorrow (Saturday, noon) to highlight the community's fight against proposed development on the land.

In May, people living locally were urged to make their objections known as soon as possible, in a bid to stop houses being built on part of the Recreation Ground.

An Extraordinary meeting of Hugglescote & Donington le Heath Parish Council was called following landowners The Harley Trust issuing a statement confirming that it had entered into a contract with Nottingham-based MyPad, a privately-owned residential developer specialising in the delivery of partnership housing schemes.

The statement says a planning application for affordable homes on the Farmer's Field - with the Recreation Ground being 'gifted' to the Parish Council as part of the process. The 'Reccy' was listed as an asset of community value last year.

The Trust wants to transfer the lease for the Recreation Ground from North West Leicestershire District Council to the Parish Council.

A message has been delivered on social media. Image: Supplied

But the meeting held three months ago made it clear that local people did not want the development to take place.

Now, the Parish council has held a meeting with the My Pad developer.

Council chair, Cllr Russell Johnson said: "They were told, as representatives of the people, that we do not want any more development in our community, unfortunately, they did not want to listen to our concerns.

"So, we as a community are having a teddy bear picnic on Ashburton Recreation ground on Saturday to highlight the community's fight against any proposal to destroy our open spaces by the Thomas Harley charity and their developers."

The Facebook Page, Save Our Green Spaces - Hugglescote and Donington le Heath, adds: "Paul Hackwood, Chair of the Thomas Harley Trust has confirmed the charity's intention to sell the farmers field on Ashburton Road to developers. 

"He said the charity does have a builder in place who is interested in a development of affordable homes. 

"We are totally against this land, which is allegedly protected, being used for housing for many reasons, but especially because Hugglescote has had more than its fair share of housing and has little green space left."