SOUTH Holland District Council is remaining tight-lipped about proposals which could see Spalding’s Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field paved over as part of a major retail development.
Since the revelation in last week’s Free Press that the field could be used for new shops, opinion has been firmly split between those opposed to the loss of green space and those in favour of a boost to the town’s economy.
But all sides are calling on the district council to act in the best interests of everyone, with one reader, John Tippler, accusing the council of “covert” behaviour by trying to get the scheme “cut and dried” before going public (see Letters to the Editor, page 4).
The main sticking point with those who are against the plans is the loss of green space in the town centre, particularly as the Sir Halley Stewart is held in trust “in perpetuity” by the district council for the benefit of Spalding people.
Bill Johnson, of King’s Road, said: “It is once again necessary to point out that the people of Spalding, in whose name the Sir Halley Stewart Field was left in trust, do not want this piece of green space in the town centre built on.
“Why do we need to become like all the other small towns all over England with the same shops, built in the same soulless fashion?
“Come on, South Holland District Council. We have a charming market town that has a great deal of potential – develop that.
“These developers are only interested in making money, not in what the local people really want.”
But the developer’s assurances that the field would be replaced with “better” green space within the town have allayed some readers’ fears, with one spaldingtoday website visitor calling for the trustees to take the “pragmatic approach” by allowing the development to go ahead.
Spalding Jerry added: “The investors will go elsewhere with their millions if we turn this down and then what’s left – decades of decline and decay. I know which option I want for my children and I believe our councillors have a responsibility to act in the best interests of the town.”
A spokesman for the council said: “We are aware that there are proposals to use some of the land for development but at this stage there has been no formal planning application for the site.”