Colney Heath Parish Council is set to auction a Gloucester Park prior to the redrawing of parish council boundaries, which would see the park fall out of its responsibility.
The parish council boundaries will be redrawn on April 1.
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According to Colney Heath Parish Council, proceeds of the sale would go towards a pathways upgrade at Highfield Park and a playground at Colney Heath Recreation Ground.
An application has been submitted by the Gloucester Park Action Group, for the area to become an Asset of Community Value.
A final decision on the application will be made on Friday, February 10.
Cllr Peter Cook, chairman of Colney Heath Parish Council, said: “I have been a Highfield resident for over 20 years and like the majority of Highfielders use Gloucester Park as a pedestrian cut through from Drakes Drive to Hill End Lane.
"It has never had any recreational value.
"District Ward Councillors Day and Rowlands say that the ACV (Asset of Community Value) 'would also give local residents the option of putting in an offer themselves to preserve the green space adjacent to their properties'.”
"In my view and that of other Highfield resident councillors believe the only community who value the asset are those described above who effectively want to protect what they see as their “back garden”.
"As parish councillors we decided to auction at its meeting of December 1, to benefit the 4,600 electorate who paid for the purchase of the property."
St Albans district councillor Jamie Day, commented: "We were surprised to learn that the current CHPC intended to sell Gloucester Park, as this ignores the reason it was bought in the first place.
"Furthermore, the Parish Council carried out a resident survey in 2022 which showed a majority of residents wanted to retain the park in public ownership.
"We question why CHPC wants to sell this asset against residents wishes.
"We believe it is in a hurry to divest the asset ahead of the redrawing of the Parish Council boundary from April 1 this year...
"...For all these reasons, we support the application to make Gloucester Park an Asset of Community Value (ACV)."
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