Authority to discuss re-purchase of green space

The land was originally bought by Shrewsbury's local authority in 1926

Proposals for Shrewsbury Town Council to buy back land which it wrongly sold for development will be discussed later.

Part of the Greenfields recreation ground was sold by the authority in 2017, but planning permission for the site was later overturned in the Supreme Court.

The authority has set aside £614,000 for the purchase of the site, which it sold for £550,000.

A judicial review had criticised the council for not checking whether it was part of a park before the sale and the authority has apologised for its failings.

The council said it had put new procedures in place to ensure a similar mistake did not happen again.

The meeting to discuss the purchase is due to be held behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Peter Day and Greenfields Community Group asked for the judicial review

When part of the green space was sold to developers in 2017 it was earmarked for 15 homes and the move sparked an outcry from residents.

It had originally been purchased in 1926 in two parts by the local authority at the time and held in trust for community use.

It was later transferred to Shrewsbury Town Council in 2010 as part of a shake-up of local government.

A judicial review found the local authority "failed to take reasonable steps" to establish before the sale whether the site was part of the recreation ground - which it "very likely" was.

The judicial review was brought by Peter Day and Greenfields Community Group.

They want the land to be returned to public ownership and their campaign was backed by the not-for-profit organisation, the Good Law Project.