With reference to the recent parish council minutes, I've been doing some research into the proposal for allotments on the 'open space' touted as a 'country park' during the sales process for property on the estate.

It emerges that the proposal is for 2500sqm of the country park to be converted to 10 standard allotments. To give some idea, this equates to 50m x 50m of land. If you take a look with Google Maps (which has a scale in metres at the bottom), you'll quickly realise this amounts to about half of the 'usable' area at the end of the estate.

Assuming no more of the area becomes 'usable' any time soon, it essentially means the 'country park' would be more accurately described as 'the allotments'.

Meadfleet have made the proposals, and are essentially indifferent to the use of the land. Indeed, I'd suggest that in my discussions, they are broadly supportive of the parish councils idea of converting the land to allotments.

They made clear to me that there would be no consultation with residents, basically 'notifying' the residents association once the land transfer was legally complete. They consider that the correct process by which residents can object is the council planning process (which is of course Lindford-oriented, not The Chase residents oriented).

I would be very interested to hear the residents association position on this matter? Meadfleet mentioned that the issue had not been raised at meetings (not all that surprising, since there has been no consultation!), essentially taking this as 'go-ahead' for the transfer.

Preferring that my children have somewhere to play rather than being an avid vegetable grower, I'm not supportive of half the 'country park' (albeit being more 'potential' than 'actual' currently), being converted to allotments. I consider the original plan should be rigidly adhered to, since this was the basis on which I (and presumably other residents) purchased my property.

In addition, I should really welcome someone explaining to me why the local Parish Council is negotiating with Meadfleet. The local Parish Council does not pay Meadfleet - the Residents pay Meadfleet and, therefore, all negotiations should ONLY be between those two parties. Could the Parish Council be so keen to to negotiate with Meadfleet, particularly relating to the allotments, because, allegedly, it is the local Parish Council members who have been putting their names down to take on the allotments?

As to the playground, there are so many facilities in this area for the children to play, all within a short walking distance. All of the houses towards the end of Hawthorn Way have gardens; cannot the children play in these gardens, with an overseeing parent? This is a park for the use of ALL residents, of all the different ages that live in The Chase and pay Meadfleet. Leisure is not just the prerogative of children and the young.