A village green has been handed over to a community trust which has already transformed neighbouring woodland.
Hastings Borough Council officially transferred Ore Village Green to Ore Community Land Trust last month, and held a handover event last weekend.
An area just behind the green connecting the land already owned by the trust was also handed over.
The transfer included an agreement that the land must continue to be an open public space and protected from any potential future development. The council received a nominal payment of £1 from the trust for the sale of the land.
The land was formally transferred on Saturday 15 January, as the council received no objections to an advertisement they published last year.
Ore Community Land Trust seeks to protect land in the Upper Ore Valley to save and enhance the urban woodland and green space for community use and to protect animal habitats.
Cllr Julia Hilton, lead for regeneration, culture, tourism, and community wealth building at Hastings Borough Council, said: “We are delighted that Ore Community Land Trust has taken ownership of the village green and we are excited to see what they will do next to further enhance the Upper Ore Valley.
“We know that with their excellent track record of improvements, they will continue to ensure this green can be enjoyed by generations to come.
“Volunteers have worked hard to make the land they already own accessible by building steps, clearing footpaths and promoting the use of the woodland through regular volunteer sessions that give the whole community a chance to work in the woods.
“They also host guided tours and invite local children to attend forest school sessions to learn more about the woodland on their doorstep.”
Peter Chowney, chair of Ore Community Land Trust, said: “We’re very grateful to Hastings Council for allowing us to acquire the village green. This increases our ownership of land in and around Speckled Wood and will help to ensure the woodland is preserved as public open space in the future.
“We’ll be exploring new ways to maintain the land to maximise biodiversity as well as continuing its use as a public open space that local people and their families can enjoy. We will be carrying out a consultation exercise soon on how the green should best be maintained in future.”
For more about the trust’s work, visit its Facebook page.
