parish Councillor and Cornwall Councillor for Calstock Dorothy Kirk is celebrating the news that Calstock Parish Council is taking ownership of a local green space.

Ownership of Fosters Field in Gunnislake is being transferred from Cornwall Council to Calstock Parish Council in a bid to protect the land from future development and to preserve the green space as a community asset.

Cllr Kirk welcomed the news following previous debate over the land several years ago when a protest took place to protect the space from a planned housing development. The field was purchased jointly by the former Caradon District Council and then Cornwall County Council Education Committee for the benefit of the community as a whole and the use of the school.

Cllr Kirk explained that parish councillors thought it would be advantageous for the parish council to take over ownership of the land. Following some dispute by Cornwall Council over the road that leads from King Street to Fosters Field, Cornwall Council have conceded and it has been decided that Cornwall Council will maintain that stretch of road.

Cllr Kirk said: ‘Every community deserves an open space, especially one as large as ours. Fosters Field is the only open land in the centre of Gunnislake. It will be available for use of the community and the school.We need breathing space, a space for people to walk their dogs, a space for children to play.

‘Cornwall Council has been getting rid of so many properties, so to maintain this is very welcome. I’m really really pleased. We want to protect it for the village and for the community as a whole.’

Dorothy explained that the parish council aims to install extra play equipment at Fosters Field to transform the green space into a better facility for children to enjoy.