A land owner is to seek compensation as a two-year battle over a possible village green has cost him more than £250,000.
An application made two years ago to register land known as Bridgefields, Orchard Way/Aston Road, in Wem was rejected by members of Shropshire County Council’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday.
Members at the planning committee were recommended not to accept the application to register the land as a village green.
This was because the land does not meet certain criteria, including being used for the last 20 years with frequency and continuity by people from the locality for lawful sports and pastimes.
Gerald Smith, the land owner, said this two-year battle had cost him more than £250,000 and gave him stress and high blood pressure.
He is now discussing compensation with his solicitors.
Mr Smith said: “For two years I have been working with the stress and blood pressure.
“It has been a struggle getting this sorted out and there’s an awful lot of work to do on it yet. It will go on for quite a bit longer.”
Mr Smith said he felt it unfair that it had cost so much when the application for the proposal of a village green had been free to the other party.
Mr Smith also said that now the application had been rejected he was looking to the future for the town.
He said: “At the moment the application is squashed and the field is now clear for development, but there is a lot of sorting out to do.
“If we can get a good outcome for Wem that would be good.”
Mr Smith revealed that some of the land had already been sold for housing.
Resident Patricia Haycocks applied for the area to become a village green in 2006 and made a second application in April 2007 to register the land under new regulations.
Paul Daniels, the applicant’s solicitor, said: “It was an application brought in good faith to try and preserve a precious site for Wem.
“Those involved were very grateful for the help given throughout. We are obviously disappointed with the outcome.”
Gareth Proffitt, a spokesperson for Shropshire County Council, confirmed that the application had been rejected.
