Villagers fear their green is going to be turned into houses after Wiltshire Council announced it was selling off its share of the land.

Now they are suggesting a drop to homes in Rudloe to highlight the sale and campaign for it to be kept out of the hands of developers.

Community social media page Rudloe Scene said 105 families supported the adoption of the space as a village green in 2019.

Rudloe Scene claims that a housing association plans to build on the green space with construction taking around two two years, and creating a smaller open space in a third year. 

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Cabinet member for strategic assets and asset transfer, Phil Alford said: “The publication of the legal notice is a statutory responsibility to allow representations, whether there is a legal reason why the council can not dispose of the open space.

He explained: “Following the closure of the community centre at Rudloe in 2017, a scheme has been developed by Green Screen Accord, as the adjoining land owner, to undertake a redevelopment in the area.

“This scheme will provide more affordable, energy efficient and sustainable homes for people in housing need in the area, along with open space, a new community centre and shop.

“This new scheme will still be subject to the planning process but this notice is in place to make sure there will be no barriers to the scheme if it were to receive planning permission.”

The statement on Rudloe Scene added: “This is extremely important. For two to three years, children, particularly those confined in flats and those with special needs, will have nowhere to exercise or play. This is an aspect of this proposal that no one, not GreenSquare, not its supposed Steering Group, not Wiltshire Council, not Box Parish Council, no one has considered and this is an outrage.”

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GreenSquare has registered its interest in a regeneration project of the village.