Baker's Feld gating

John Fareham and John Abbott report that the question of whether the gating off of Baker’s Field is lawful has been referred to the Council’s planning enforcement team.

This is, of course, a matter on which we have no particular wish to take sides.  We can understand that those who wish to use Baker’s Field for such recreational purposes as taking the dog for a walk are less than pleased that this land has been gated off.  Equally, however, we sympathise with those local residents who have had it up to here with antisocial behaviour such as young people using the open land as a venue for late night drinking and other related activities.  At the moment, we have yet to hear anything back from the officers as to the conclusions they are drawing on the legality or otherwise of the gating scheme, but when we are made aware of the outcome we will of course make sure local residents are made aware of it.