Residents Express Dismay Over Church’s Enclosure of Community Field

Residents of Bayston Hill, located near Shrewsbury, have voiced that they are “horrified” following a church’s decision to erect fencing around a community green area. The Glebe, a substantial field frequently utilized for village gatherings, adjoins Christ Church and is under the ownership of the Lichfield Diocese. The advocacy organization, Friends of the Glebe, characterized the action as “shocking” and is urging the diocese to reconsider its choice. A representative for the diocese informed the BBC that they acknowledged the distress, but stated the church had enclosed the land to “protect [its] interests”. This land has been an integral component of Bayston Hill since 1949, the year the diocese initially leased the Glebe to the local inhabitants. Subsequently, it has served as a venue for fairs, events, Scouts activities, and is a favored location for dog walking; however, last week, metal fences were installed, preventing public access to the area. The installed fencing measures approximately two metres in height, featuring spikes along its upper edge. Teri Trickett, a member of the campaign group, stated: “It’s been used by my family for 60 years, so it’s going to be absolutely devastating.” She added, “We’re so shocked that the diocese, the church, the centre of our village that’s been here since 1843, has decided to do something to the village. It’s like they just don’t care about us.” Chris Hitchcock relocated to the village from central London 24 years ago, remarking that the move to the countryside was “so exciting”. She recounted, “You could come out [to the Glebe] at night and look at a multitude of stars.” She further commented, “Since then my grandchildren have been here – I take them out on little jaunts around the Glebe. It’s been a great uplift to my soul.” She conveyed that the loss of the Glebe would signify “everything” to her, and that she would depart if the land were to be sold, as it would cause her profound sorrow. The location had previously been sold to developers, though that transaction did not materialize, and residents are concerned that one of the village’s remaining green areas might still be developed. A formal request to designate the Glebe as an official village green, thereby granting it protected status, was lodged 18 months prior, but Shropshire Council has not yet rendered a verdict. The local governing body indicated it would decide on that application soon. Mark Underwood, who serves as chair of the Friends of the Glebe group and is also a parish councillor, has urged the church to “show some compassion” prior to reaching a determination. A representative for the Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance stated that they recognized “the loss of access has been upsetting to local people,” yet affirmed that the diocese possessed “limited options compliant with its legal obligations” and had enclosed the land to “protect its interests”. They further mentioned that the fencing’s height would be lowered to one metre in the upcoming week and that “when the land is developed, there would have to be a provision to provide public open space in line with the normal planning policies”. It was also pointed out that the parish council had previously given its support in principle for development on the site. For further updates, BBC Shropshire can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC holds no responsibility for the content of external websites. Details regarding its approach to external linking are available.