ALTON Town Council’s open spaces committee is to continue putting pressure on Persimmon, as the developer of the Barley Fields development off London Road, to release to the council an area of public open space.

The land was due to be handed over to the town council as part of a condition of planning following the completion of the 172-home development, but this has yet to happen.

Persimmon has made it clear that the area of open space to be made available for public use is located east of the site, with other smaller areas scattered throughout the scheme. It is not, however, responsible for providing a play area.

Under the Section 106 agreement that secures the land as a condition of planning, Persimmon is obliged to landscape the area and has paid an open space contribution to East Hampshire District Council (EHDC), as the planning authority, of £132,868.75, plus a contribution to play area equipment of £29,500.

This will then be handed down to Alton Town Council who will take over responsibility for the public amenity land, which will include a play area.

In response to questions, posed on behalf of the authority by town and district councillor Graham Hill, Persimmon has explained that highway drainage works are still to be carried out in the main open space area, after which the final preparation and landscaping can be undertaken, which will include seeding.

It is not expected to be ready for handover before May.

As well as the puddling that currently occurs in the public amenity area, the open spaces committee has expressed concern over the need for a new fence to be built to protect the children’s play area from the adjacent railway line.

Persimmon has responded that the current fence belongs to Network Rail and a replacement would be a matter for them.

Mr Hill has also raised with Persimmon the issue of the car park, located close to London Road which, when finished, will be used as a drop-off area for children attending Eggar’s School.

The car park area is currently being used as a storage area for contractors and will continue to be needed during landscaping of the open space and remedial and drainage work is undertaken on the roads.