Green Gate Park campaign gathers momentum

THE campaign to save the land off Ship Street, Frodsham, affectionately known as Green Gates Park, is gaining momentum.
Local group, Green Gates Community Project, are seeking support in their fight to save the land from housing development.
The group have been given 12 months to canvass local opinion and develop a plan for the future use of the land, known as Green Gates Park or “the backie” by generations who have played there.
Later this year, their findings will be presented to Frodsham Town Council who will decide the future of the land, which is currently under a covenant preserving it for use by the children of Frodsham.
Members of the group have been knocking on doors to talk to local people about their ideas and concerns about proposals for development, and posting leaflets – capturing responses in a survey.
So far, the responses collected have shown that local people are overwhelmingly in favour of the land being kept as a green space to be developed as a community asset with young children in mind.
A massive 82 per cent of respondents to the survey strongly agree that Green Gates Park should be used as a public space that benefits the community, and 81 per cent strongly agree that housing should not be built on the land.
Group chairman, Mrs Melanie Halsall said: “We are currently working on developing a second draft of our proposal that encompasses the responses of the local community, to show FTC the will of the people.”
A community walk around the Green Gates area is also in the pipeline to which Mike Amesbury MP, councillors from FTC and Cheshire West and Chester will be invited, accompanied by residents, so those who aren’t familiar with the area can see how many houses are already in a part of Frodsham served by just two access points to the main road, and how few recreational facilities are available for local people.
The campaign group has already suggested the land could be used for a play area, sensory garden, allotments, tree-lined walkway, open area with seating and car park with notice board and charity/foodbank drop-off points.
Residents can make sure that their opinion is counted by having a say in the Green Gates Survey. If you have had a leaflet through the door, submission instructions can be found on there, or you can respond online at yourgreengates.com/survey.
Keep up to date with all of the action by joining the Green Gates Community Project Frodsham Facebook group, or following @yourgreengates on Twitter.
*Frodsham Life reported the formation of the Green Gates Community Project last August when the Town Council agreed to give them time to draw up plans.