Council in bid to save Rasen's green land

Part of the site in Gainsborough Road was formerly playing fields associated with Market Rasen Secondary Modern School and councillors agreed it should be retained for recreational use.

The council is in the process of attempting to register this land as a community asset

Speaking at last week’s meeting of the town council planning and development committee, Coun Bunney said the land was part of the town’s ‘green wedge’ and should be retained.

He said: “We also feel that land would be best used for a recreation project as part of our strategy document.

“I think that is an important thing for us to remember.”

The roadside section of the land, opposite Holy Rood Church, is in private ownership, while the more substantial rear section - the old playing field - is owned by the county council.

The plan, submitted through an agent as a joint application between the private land owners and the county council, was previously submitted in 2016, when 61 houses were proposed, but withdrawn by the applicants.

The new plan is for outline approval for a development of 50 homes.

Coun Ken Bridger was concerned over the number of developments being undertaken in the town.

He said: “We have discussed at length the development we are having within the town and the lack of leisure and recreational facilities.

“I mean you can’t keep building and building and building without the leisure facilities coming in.”

Coun Bunney added: “If they want to use it for housing, we would want to see an incredible planning gain for recreation from it.

“I know we don’t own that land, it is county council land; it was a playing field.

“Here is an opportunity for the county council to give us stuff that we need.

“We lost De Aston Field on exactly the same basis.”