THE amount of open flat green space available to the Huntingdon town area has now been reduced down to the Riverside field. I would like to hear from anyone who disagrees, because this field is priceless. It should not be dug or chopped about for any reas

THE amount of open flat green space available to the Huntingdon town area has now been reduced down to the Riverside field. I would like to hear from anyone who disagrees, because this field is priceless.

It should not be dug or chopped about for any reason, nor should it have a hard standing area or strengthened grass (however wonderful these products may be).

The field is not only priceless to local residents, many of whom do not have gardens large enough for grass, it is a beautiful space for everyone. It is very much loved and respected my many.

It could be improved with some benches where you can sit in the sun and enjoy its beauty, and it no longer needs a gateway onto the road.

The district council is determined to see it developed one way or another. We have councillors who do not want to look shame-faced as they said: "It will not be used for a car park". Yet the hard standing or strengthened grass that will take up a very large section will be used for the fair, to save the car park users from the annoyance of having the visiting fair on their spaces.

Many of HDC, the planners of riverside and people who need to park to work in Huntingdon do not realise how loved this last open green space is and are happy to think "it will still be green". My response would not be printable.

Wrapped around town is a large green space that is not usable, as it is a common. To be realistic, this is very last century, land being at the premium that is. Mill Common is owned by the Freemen's Charity.

Surely, being so close to town, the town council etc can see that leaving the playing field truly green for tourists and residents, creating some more parking opposite the existing Mill Common car park, which could then be used for the fair and other town celebrations, would be preferable. Creating a natural park area with plenty of seating on the rest of the common would be very beneficial to the town.

It now seems it may not just be a threat, but more a case of this is what is going to happen, and that fighting for over two years to save the riverside field from being chopped up in any way has all been in vain.

People who do not use, respect and care about this wonderful playing field are deciding its future, while people who do care are being ignored.

Why does HDC assume that no carnival or few events mean that the field is underused? So that they can go ahead and destroy this precious space.

Do the local ratepayers and voters not deserve to have one piece of flat, open green space nearby that they can say is a lovely, natural, public green space for future generations? Is it really so much to ask them to leave it as it is?

Mrs SUE BUSHBY

The Paddock

Huntingdon