Click here to watch the full video of Rachael Maskell MP and Councillor Stuart Barnes discussing the council’s plan to build on the old Manor School playing fields and why they support the Friends of Acomb Park project to save the green space.

Show your support for Friends of Acomb Park by clicking here and following on Facebook.

Rachael Maskell MP said: “Labour recognise the need for more housing, especially affordable housing; without it we will continue to see many working people struggle to buy homes in York, and will see rents continue to rise, making life harder for people and making it more difficult for York to attract the key workers it needs such as nurses, teachers and social workers.”

“Nevertheless, the British Sugar site in Acomb is already going to provide more than a thousand homes, and the area needs to preserve this green space for the benefit of residents.”

Residents in Acomb deserve high quality green open space. More than 500 people signed a petition led by the Labour Councillor for Acomb, Stuart Barnes, calling for the old Manor School playing fields on Boroughbridge Road to become public open space.

The Council’s open space assessment shows Acomb has one of the biggest shortages of green space in York. Given this shortage of green space, and the fact that Acomb is already providing the Civil Service & British Sugar sites that will provide huge areas for housing development, it seems completely unjust that local residents could now be set to lose have this amazing green space.

But the Tory and Liberal Democrat coalition in charge of the Council has completely ignored the petition, riding roughshod over the views of local people. The new proposals in their local plan show that they now want to see this lovely open space turned into housing.

York needs more housing, but it must not come at the expense of public amenities. If you care about protecting this green space, and want to see it preserved and enhanced for future generations then please keep up to date with Friends of Acomb Park by following their page on Facebook.