Green spaces to be sold to parish councils for £1

Three green spaces in Leicestershire look set to be protected from future development after being offered to local parish councils for £1 each.

Blaby District Council plans to sell two parks and an allotment to respective parish councils for the nominal sum.

The sites the council will offload include the Southey Close Recreation Ground and Jubilee Park in Enderby near Leicester, as well as the Hold Crescent Allotments in Thurlaston.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the council estimated the arrangement could save £25,000 in management costs next year.

The sale will come with a condition that the sites must be kept in their current use "in perpetuity", the council said.

The recreation ground, nicknamed Wimpey Park locally, was being considered for housing in 2021, much to the dismay of the community, according to the LDRS.

Council documents reveal the local authority will look to transfer ownership of the site – along with Jubilee Park – to Enderby Parish Council.

Thurlaston Parish Council will pay £1 to take ownership of the allotments.

Parish council ownership has the potential to "provide a vast range of benefits to its residents, visitors, and park users" as the authorities have "an in-depth understanding of local needs", the documents state.

The transfer of ownership would offer "opportunities for consistency in maintenance regimes, community events, activities, and much more", they added.

The authority anticipates that the transfer will be complete by April next year.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.