RESIDENTS living near a popular Wokingham green space say they have been locked out – just as they are campaigning to get the land use changed to village green status.
High fencing, barbed wire and gates locked by heavy duty padlocks now block access points to footpaths in Limmerhill, Wokingham, preventing people from walking on the land.
The fences were erected around the 16-acre field on Friday, October 2, and handwritten signs say that the permissive footpath is closed for maintenance.
It comes as local residents have been upping their fight for village green status for the land, situated between Woosehill and Barkham Road.
Eighteen months ago members of Limmerhill Walking Group applied to Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) to get footpaths crossing the field recognised as legal paths – it is thought they have been used for at least 40 years, if not longer.
Following legal advice taken over the summer the request was changed to an application for village green status.
A spokesperson for WBC said: “The land owner has responded to the application but we have not had time to consider the responses. At this stage we are still in the process of dealing with the application.”
Lynn Forbes, a member of Limmerhill Walking Group who are co-ordinating the village green status application, said: “This week saw the closure of the footpath. It’s such a great loss to the community. It’s actually like a bereavement.
“People would meet on the field and have great fun, then they were limited to the footpath and now that has gone.
“It leaves a gaping chasm in our lives. Be it runners, cyclists, children riding their bikes to school and not least dog walkers. A great loss.”
Local resident Edward Lane told The Wokingham Paper: “Limmerhill is a haven for flora and fauna in this increasingly choked and crowded urban area.
“These unspoilt fields are free for anyone to use, for walking dogs, for children to play, for families to picnic or for us to simply savour the sounds sights and smells of countryside on our doorstep. The fields are the lungs of Wokingham.
“If the closure of the Limmerhill field and footpaths is allowed to go ahead, everyone from Wokingham will lose.
“Green space is in short supply, and – to misquote Mark Twain – ‘they’re not making any more of it!’
“Let’s value beautiful natural amenities such as Limmerhill.”
The site, previously used as farmland, has been privately owned since 1992 and remained open until last year when it was sold to Monopro Ltd, based in Mayfair. There is now a tenant on the site, but we have been unable to track her down.
To help fight its cause, Limmerhill Walking Group have launched an appeal to raise a fighting fund of £10,000 to pay for a barrister at a hearing relating to the land use.
This will be heard under the Commons Act 2006 Section 15 (1). As we went to press last night, the fund had reached £6,550.
Anyone interested in contributing to the fighting fund can do so on the LimmerhillVG crowdfunding page at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/LimmerhillVG
A spokesperson for Monopro declined to comment when contacted by The Wokingham Paper.
Limmerhill Walking Group will be running an awareness campaign in Wokingham Market Place on Saturday, October 24, between 10am and noon.
As well as finding out more about the village green application shoppers can enjoy homemade cake and enjoy live music from a jazz band.
