A NEW proposal to transfer ownership of Abbey Field to Alcester Town Council has been put forward in compromise after the district council refused to transfer the freehold of Alcester Nature Reserve for a second time.

Controversial plans to transfer the ownership of the reserve’s land to the town council were refused by Stratford District Council in November and again earlier this month.

Following the first refusal on November 7, Conservative chairman of Stratford District Council Susan Adams and two Conservative colleagues Mike Gittus and Eric Payne, who all live in and around the town, responded by using a procedure known as the 'call in', meaning the decision will be subject to further debate. The item was then discussed but dismissed again on January 16.

Now, town councillor Mike Gittus, who is also a county councillor and district councillor, is lobbying the district council to consider transferring the ownership of Abbey Field, part of the scheduled monument, instead.

Abbey Field, which is currently owned by Stratford District Council, boarders on Priory Meadow owned by the town council, and both make up the national monument site, which is protected by law under the Ancient Monuments Protection Act as a nationally important archaeological site.

The proposal would bring together the monument site under one management, in the hopes of protecting and managing the site for the future.

Cllr Gittus said: "It is disappointing that Stratford District Council have refused to hand over the nature reserve.

"I am now requesting for the district council to consider letting us have the Abbey Field."

The Abbey Field together Alcester Nature Reserve, Jubilee Fields, South Field, North Field, Orchard Field and Priority Meadow all make up Alcester’s Green River Corridor, an area of outstanding natural beauty containing rivers, recreation areas and riverside walks.

On a larger scale, Cllr Gittus is campaigning to bring all sections of the Green River Corridor into locally accountable public ownership to enable them to be managed, protected and improved.

He believes public ownership will remove the risk of future development, enhance town's recreational areas and enable further success towards health and well-being for residents, providing a guaranteed wildlife haven and the opportunity to develop and enhance the tourism of the scheduled monument.

Over the last 18 months Alcester Town Council has been able to negotiate the purchase of the School Road allotments and the Priory Meadow Scheduled Monument site.

On the decision to retain the nature reserve's ownership, a district council spokesman said: "The River Arrow Nature Reserve is a valuable space for the public to enjoy and its maintenance is hugely important.

"The council is currently working with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to update the management plan for the Nature Reserve so is seems sensible to continue with this commitment and work in conjunction with Alcester Town Council to ensure that this natural green space is retained and enhanced."