THE ‘SELFISH’ owners of a popular playing field have ordered Rugby Borough Council to dismantle a children’s play area ahead of the park being fenced off to the public.
The Heart of England Co-operative, which owns Oakfield Park in Bilton Road, has ordered the council to dismantle and remove all children’s play equipment and vacate the grounds by Wednesday June 22.
The Co-op plans to board up the park after Rugby Borough Council’s planning committee voted unanimously against their application to build 50 new houses there on grounds it should remain a community park, and because there was no affordable housing included in the plan.
The land had been leased by the council for around 30 years, during which time it has been used as a public recreation ground, but the lease expired in 2014 and the Co-Op decided not to extend it.
The council’s insurance on the site and its responsibility to mow and maintain it will end at midnight on June 22 – when it must hand back the land in its original condition.
Council leader Coun Michael Stokes said: “The Co-operative is the landlord and they do have the right to deny local communities access to this much loved recreation ground and children’s play area.
“I am deeply disappointed in the Co-operative’s decision, but sadly I am not surprised.
“We have offered to buy the recreation ground previously, and have repeated that offer, but the Co-op has turned us down. Nevertheless, our offer remains on the table.
“It is the council’s view that the play area and recreation ground is a vital facility for the community in and around New Bilton, and that it should remain a community facility.
“Even at this late stage I would ask the Co-operative to reconsider their decision and to act in the best interests of the communities they serve.”
The Co-op plans to appeal against the planning decision, claiming Rugby would miss out on its planned investment of £100,000 in play and sports facilities if the development did not go ahead.
Save Oakfield campaign group spokesman Richard Joy said: “Having seen how the Co-op has fought this planning application, bringing their community values and ethics into question, we are not surprised by their very selfish and destructive attitude.
“They are denying residents of Rugby this much loved and protected Amenity Green Space, registered as an asset of Community Value on the Council’s local register.”
A Co-op spokesman said: “The Society has taken the decision to fence off the land as it can no longer take on the legal responsibility for public access.”
