Campaigners remain fearful that part of Derby’s oldest park could be lost to new council homes, despite “people power” recently stopping plans.
It was reported last month that Derby City Council had scrapped its intentions to build 10 new homes on “cherished” green space at the Grade II listed Arboretum Park.
The park opened to the public in 1842 and is widely recognised as England’s first public park.
Heritage documents stated the application site at a former bowling green, off Rose Hill Street, is part of the parkland and therefore campaigners feel no housing development should ever be built on it.
The council said it ditched the plan following dozens of objections and concerns raised by national heritage bodies such as Historic England.
However, the authority says in a brief statement it is now considering options for future use. But possible future development has not yet been ruled out.
A spokesperson for Derby City Council said: “The council is evaluating potential future uses for this site and no definitive proposals have yet been established.”
When plans were submitted last year the council said the former bowling green “had been left in a state of disrepair for some time resulting in a loss to its aesthetic value and public accessibility”.
But documents state the bowling green area formed part of an extension to the park and a bowling club was formed in the 1860s. The Arboretum Bowling Club continued at the site until 2005 but buildings were removed around five years ago.
Campaigners fear the council could come back with an amended housing plan on the table which, if approved, could see the vacant land lost.
Fuelling the concern is the fact that housing demand is high. It was recently reported that 8,000 households are on the waiting list for a council house in Derby and building new council homes is a priority.,
Campaigners say “the end objective is to permanently remove the bowling green from the threat of building development and ensure it is a holistic part of the whole Grade II Listed park”. They state they want to see the space reopened for public use and would like to see a fence taken out so the space can be fully integrated with the park.
Mr Penny, a nearby resident, said: “We have stopped that particular project but that was step one. We want to make sure the site is fully preserved – we want to nail it.”
Historic England stated: “Proposals to develop part of the Arboretum for housing would result in the loss of part of the designed landscape of the public park (Grade II*), that was provided for the benefit of the public as recreational green space.”
