Home / Environment / 30-Year Fight Secures Green Space Status
30-Year Fight Secures Green Space Status
22 Oct
Summary
- Harding's Pits, a seven-acre green space in King's Lynn, has achieved village green status.
- A 30-year campaign by the Harding's Pits Community Association Group led to this designation.
- The protected land is a vital local asset used for dog walking and wildlife spotting.
Campaigners have celebrated the achievement of "village green status" for Harding's Pits, a seven-acre green space in King's Lynn. This designation marks a significant victory after a 30-year effort by the Harding's Pits Community Association Group. Previously slated for housing and supermarket development, the land beside the River Great Ouse will now be safeguarded as a public open space, thanks to the application made by the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk to Norfolk County Council.
Rick Morrish, director of the Community Association Group, expressed his delight, noting the administration's strong support this year. He emphasized that the village green status provides greater legal protection for the site. Councillor Alexandra Kemp highlighted the importance of the borough council's support in protecting Harding's Pits west of Harding's Way, following previous resident campaigns against developments like a new car park.
Harding's Pits, which was originally a clay pit in the 19th century and later a landfill, was transformed into a public space in the early 1960s. Today, it is a valued local asset, frequently used for dog walking, accessing the town centre, picking fruit, and observing wildlife, including approximately a hundred bird species and various reptiles. This vibrant green space, featuring a community orchid and an art project with oak trees, is considered a rare and important asset within King's Lynn.
