As previously reported on this site, the Green Belt at Hayes Park (Home Farm) has been put up for sale on the Rightmove website, with such phrases as ‘Prime development land’ being used in the advertisement.
After an initial public meeting organised by John McDonnell MP that was very well attended and interest from the local Gazette newspaper, residents organised a photo shoot with the newspaper where all were urged to attend and show the strength of feeling against the move.
A number of public spirited locals have distributed window signs and spread the word about the event across the Charville ward and the result was seen this afternoon where a large crowd attended and were backed up by riders from the local stables who use the area to exercise their horses.
Local residents form up just before the Gazette photoshoot
The view from Hayes End Road
Children with their ponies arrive to join the protest
One of the home made banners that was on display
A view across the park
One of the banners made by the children
The crowd starts to disperse after pictures were taken
Any attempts to build on the site will be met with strong protest, as today has shown.
The area surrounding already suffers from flooding during wet spells, which will get worse should the fields be concreted over. Added to the loss of wildlife, increased traffic and degradation of air quality that losing our ‘green lung’ would bring, there are far better places for developers in the area to be looking at in Hayes which has a number of brown field sites available.
If you would like to get involved in the fight to save our Green Belt, regular updates are posted on a local residents Facebook site http://www.facebook.com/friendsofhayesend
A committee is also being formed to organise resistance, if you would like to be involved then you can contact the office of the Hayes MP via email mcdonnellj@parliament.uk
Four years ago, working together as a community, we managed to stop a proposed development on the site. Working together , we can stop it again
