Campaigners celebrate U-turn on playing field sale

Campaigners raise a glass to celebrate saving the field

Campaigners are celebrating news that a plan to sell off a popular open space for housing has been scrapped.

West Northamptonshire Council has said the proposal to fund town centre improvements by selling the Eastern Way playing field will not be included in the latest Daventry Masterplan.

The authority said the change of heart was in response to "valuable feedback from residents".

One of the founders of a campaign to save the field said she was "absolutely delighted" by the decision.

The playing field was once attached to Daventry's Grammar School but is now used for events like the weekly parkrun and touring circuses.

It is also popular with dog walkers, exercise lovers and people who just want some fresh air.

Some local residents gathered on the playing field to celebrate the council u-turn

When the latest Daventry Masterplan was made public last year, two women who lived nearby were so horrified by plans to sell the field off to fund town centre improvements that they started a campaign to save it.

More than 2,000 people signed a petition, which was presented to the council in September 2024 by the Liberal Democrat member Alan Knape, and more than 1,000 attended a rally on the field during the same month.

Dan Lister, the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet member for local economy, culture and leisure, said: "Having listened to the feedback we've received from Daventry residents, Eastern Way is a cherished recreational space and residents do not want to see new housing on the site.

"We will explore other ways to help secure the investment needed."

Judith Morris (left) and Liz Scott set up the campaign to save the field

Liz Scott, one of the founders of the campaign, said she was "absolutely delighted".

She added: "We're just so grateful to everyone who's helped us."

The campaign's co-founder, Judith Morris, said: "Our supporters have been very vocal - they all emailed their councillors, wrote to their MP, signed the petition, and that's ultimately what's made an impact."

Labour's Wendy Randall welcomed the decision but said no promise has been made to protect the field forever

Wendy Randall, who lives in Daventry and is the Labour opposition leader on the council, joined a celebration on the field over the weekend but felt residents needed to remain vigilant.

She said: "It's definitely the right decision, but they haven't said they won't ever do anything on it.

"Daventry people do not forget."

Ms Scott added: "We can't rest on our laurels.

"We've saved the field for now. We'd really like to save it permanently."