Update – 8th October 2024
At our recent meeting, the Parish Council agreed that we were happy to proceed with Persimmon Homes’ offer to let us take control of a Local Green Space on Farleigh Fields for future community use. Understandably this has led to significant interest in the village as people wonder what the options are for this important piece of land. Earlier this year, the Parish Council set up a working party to look into this, with a brief of ensuring that any venture did not expose us to significant financial risk and administrative burden for now and in the long term future, and that any amenity would provide significant social benefit to the whole of the village.
Research is advancing on the complexities of the Transfer of Ownership and we have looked at a number of proposals in detail. Although it is still too early to set out specific plans, the working party is confident that a worthwhile scheme can be provided.
We are aiming to ensure we can comply with all relevant legislation and planning guidelines, that we minimise all risk and any ongoing management or financial liabilities that the Parish Council might incur, and are also taking legal advice to ensure that any plans are viable and watertight.
For these reasons, our exact proposals must remain confidential at the moment. But please be assured that our principal aim is to create an attractive and useful asset for the benefit of all residents. We are also carefully exploring how we can create an environment to help fight climate change, and that will offer genuine ecological biodiversity.
More details will be available when we have completed our research. At that point we will aim to hold a public meeting to explain our processes and consult further with local residents.
Update – 12th July 2024

The middle ‘T’ shaped area of Farleigh Fields has Local Green Space designation (LGS). This means that it cannot be subject to planning application, used for houses or roads.

In 2022, during the Appeal for outline consent for the development of Farleigh Fields East (referenced in the application as Farleigh Farm 21/P/1766/OUT), Persimmon offered the LGS to Backwell Parish Council for £1, with a one-off payment of £30,000 to assist with transfer and maintenance costs.  This offer was summarised in a unilateral undertaking when the consent for Farleigh Fields East was given. The offer remains ‘live’ until the site is built and ready for occupation, this will be the trigger for a final decision about the adoption.

Currently the LGS is leased to a tenant for agricultural use. (Grass is grown for hay and the land used for cattle grazing.)

In principle the Parish Council is keen to protect this land as a village resource. It is adjacent to a conservation area and has popular walks looking up to St Andrew’s Church. However, due diligence must be carried out. There are several vital points which require clarification from Persimmon to avoid the village inadvertently adopting serious financial liabilities.

In the meantime, the Parish Council, supported by various local experts and environmental organisations, are exploring options that would enable the village to preserve this land for recreational use. For example, one option is to create a woodland, another is to create a wildflower hay meadow with some tree planting, another is to keep the status quo using the area for agricultural use. All options being researched include maintaining the popular and well used footpaths.

Please be reassured that further information will be available as the legal process unfolds in the next six months.

Farleigh Fields development (Backwell Residents Association)

Farleigh Fields development (Backwell Residents Association)

*With thanks to Backwell Residents Association for the use of Farleigh Fields image.