Townsend Green - A Clarification

The latest issue of Haddenham Village News (the quarterly newsletter published by the Parish Council) is currently being distributed to all homes in the village. One of the articles it contains has raised concerns, and to help address this, the content of a letter received by the newsletter editor from Richard Hirst of Townsend Green is reproduced below

Dear Newsletter Editor

We are very concerned that the article on page 6 of the village newsletter headed "Townsend Green to be taken into Public Ownership" is misleading and incorrect. This, combined with the article in The Times last Tuesday (a copy of which was given to Andrew Fell at the most recent Neighbourhood Plan meeting on Thursday evening) with the heading "Village Greens Lose Protected Status" could give rise to concern about the future of Townsend Green.

The land referred to in your article is not Townsend Green, but the field adjacent to the Green, with access from the Green via a gap in the wall on the South-East boundary of the Green, or from Mallard Croft via a locked gate to which only the residents of Mallard Croft know the combination.

It is this area, provided by Rectory Homes under a Section 106 Agreement, which is to be designated as having 'Public Open Space Status' and for which various possible uses, including that of a Community Orchard, are being considered.

Townsend Green itself, the open space situated between Dollicott and Rudds Lane, previously registered as a Village Green, VG 26, under Section 13 of the 1965 Act, remains unaffected by this change.