Milford on Sea's Community Meadow is under immediate threat of being lost for ever.
Can you help save this irreplaceable community asset which is enjoyed by so many.
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PLEASE HELP SAVE MILFORD’S COMMUNITY MEADOW
The Northern part of old Milford Meadow adjacent to All Saints churchyard has been offered for sale by its owners, The Friends of Christchurch Priory.
The sale is marketed by Goadsby via sealed bid tender at a guide price of £100,000 and the deadline for submitting a bid is midday on 29th November 2024.
The Southern part of the Meadow is owned by the village and maintained by the Parish Council as a peaceful area for parishioners to walk, sit and enjoy.
The land for sale has been subject to two failed planning applications for residential development.
The latest application generated over 300 letters of objection and a community petition. This planning application was refused by New Forest District Council in very strong terms.
With the upcoming sale of the Northern part of the Meadow the Parish Council believes that it should make every attempt to acquire this land to protect it in perpetuity as a green open space. The Parish Council will maintain the whole Meadow for the enjoyment of the community and prevent its development.
It is hoped that the generosity of the community will strengthen a bid and improve the chances of being awarded this tender.
The Parish Council is therefore asking for pledges to be made in order to determine the size of the bid that the Village can make.
A pledge of any size will be gratefully received. All pledges will be kept strictly confidential; money pledged will only be required if the Parish Council’s bid is successful.
Alternatively, you can visit the Parish Office at 22 High Street or call 01590 644410.
Help to create a legacy for the Village by trying to acquire an important parcel of land, in the centre of our beautiful community, which is beyond value.
Thank you in advance for your kind generosity.
Milford Parish Council and Friends of Milford Meadow.
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About Milford Meadow
The Community Meadow, just beside All Saints' Church, was opened by Milford on Sea Parish Council when hosting a village picnic on Saturday 22nd June 2019.
The meadow was bequeathed by the late Diane Gillespie, a generous Milford on Sea resident.
The legacy was in two parcels of land, one made to the Friends of Christchurch Priory, the other to Milford on Sea Parish Council on condition that it should remain an open space to the benefit of the community.
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| Photo by Ginny Campbell |
In December 2022 The Friends of Milford Meadow were pleased to report that following significant local objection, a planning application by Bayview Developments to build a four-bedroom house on the Friends of Christchurch Priory land close to the Community Meadow was refused.
It is understood that over the last two years the Parish Council has had several meetings and communications with the Priory about the future of the Meadow - not least about the unmaintained state of the land.
At a recent meeting, the Friends of the Priory were encouraged to let the Parish Council know what they envisaged for the land and it was emphasised that the Parish would like first refusal on buying the meadow, but would need time to raise the money with community involvement.
Subsequently, we have been informed that the land will be offered by tender via Goadsby Estate Agents in Bournemouth with a guide price of £100,000. The tender period is likely to commence in November 2024.
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| Friends of Milford Meadow - November 2022 |
