Council to sell off green space for housing

Opponents of the sale have warned about the permanent loss of green spaces

A Surrey council is selling a plot of land for housing to help balance its books amid a £3.14m budget deficit.

Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) has put the 1,200 sq m (12,916 sq ft) plot next to number 25 in Greenbank Way, Frimley, on the market.

Opponents of the sale have warned about the permanent loss of green spaces, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Cost-cutting plans are already in place to review garden waste subscriptions, stop on-call weekend services for unauthorised encampments, cut town centre CCTV cameras, and put an end to council-staged community and civic events.

Councillor Kel Finan-Cooke, portfolio holder for property and economic development, said:  "This is a great opportunity to develop a small site to fit in with the local area.

"We're looking for buyers who care about thoughtful, sustainable development and want to make the most of this space."

Opposing the sale, Councillor Jonny Cope, said: "Once green spaces are gone, they are gone permanently."

SHBC said the larger green space near the Montessori school in Greenbank Way would be retained.

Having previously warned that unprofitable car parks could be sold off, SHBC has already agreed to sell the Deepcut car park despite resident protests.