Transfer of public open space to Plymouth Community Homes

As part of the housing stock transfer process the City Council has been identifying those areas of public open space which would be more appropriately owned and maintained by Plymouth Community Homes in future.

An initial list of public open spaces which the Council is proposing to form part of the transfer has now been drawn up, after a complex process of identifying the most appropriate land to be included. This process has included discussions with local ward councillors at drop-in days earlier this year.

Generally speaking the list is made up of public open spaces in and around those housing estates where less than 50 per cent of homes have been sold under 'right to buy'.

The process of identifying these public open spaces has led to a fairly clear north east/ south west divide across the city. In the south west of the city, less than 50 per cent of Council homes have been sold which has been a factor in influencing the make-up of the list.

All the land will stay open and accessible to the public after the transfer and it will continue to be maintained to the same standard. Initially this maintenance work will be carried out by the Council’s parks department, under contract to the new not-for-profit housing association.

The plans to transfer public open space to Plymouth Community Homes are part of the Council’s ongoing, wider negotiations concerning the stock transfer.

The Council’s Cabinet member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Regeneration Councillor Ted Fry said: "People won’t notice any difference after the transfer as all this land will remain open to the public.

"If at any time in the future Plymouth Community Homes wanted to change its use they would have to go through the usual planning process as we as a Council would have to do ourselves if we retained ownership.”

Plymouth Community Homes' Chief Executive Clive Turner said: "We want to maintain these open spaces for the enjoyment of local residents and we have no current plans to develop any of them.

"If, for some reason, we ever wanted to change the use of this land there would be extensive public consultation and of course we would have to follow all the normal planning procedures. But this is certainly not our intention at the moment.”

Full details of the public open spaces earmarked for inclusion in the transfer are available in the public open space notice on our housing pages.

Plans are also available for viewing in the reception area of the Civic Centre between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Any comments should be made in writing to David Shepperd, Head of Legal Services, Floor 3, Civic Centre, Plymouth, PL1 2AA.

The deadline for public comments is 14 September.

The ownership and management of the Council’s 15,000 homes will be transferred to Plymouth Community Homes on 19 October. This follows last year’s ballot when 67.49 per cent of tenants voted in favour of the transfer.

24 August 2009