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To: Cambridgeshire County Council

Please keep Castle site in Council ownership

We call upon the County Council to:

- keep Shire Hall and its site in Council ownership
- ensure public right of access to the scheduled monument, grassed areas on the Shire Hall site and the cut through from Magrath Avenue to Castle Street
- retain rights of access to the site for lawful sport and pastimes

Why is this important?

The County Council has taken steps with the apparent aim of denying public access to Shire Hall grounds, including The Mound and grassed area used for sport, play and pastimes.

For centuries, Cambridge and Cambridgeshire residents have walked, played and climbed to the top of The Mound to see the views of Cambridge.

The County Council has lodged documents by way of ‘landlord’s deposit’ under the Highways Act and Commons Act which appear to deny the public access to the grounds of Shire Hall - the entire site including The Mound and grassed forecourt.

This is a part of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire history and heritage.

Will we stand by, allowing barring of our public asset and denial of the public’s rights?

Cambridgeshire County Council confirmed that this e-petition would be acceptable to them.

This petition was taken to Cambridgeshire County Council on 14 May 2019. They subsequently announced that they would lease the entire site on a 40 year lease to Brookgate.

This is not a satisfactory outcome. The site should be council-owned and council-run for the good of the public.

Leasing to private developers ends or jeopardises every aspect of public usage of this site.

This has caused the need for a new petition.
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/ShireHall
To continue support for this campaign, please sign, share and comment on the new petition.

Links

Updates

2019-03-04 18:15:55 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2019-02-18 23:29:21 +0000

500 signatures reached

2019-02-16 20:33:29 +0000

100 signatures reached

2019-02-16 16:05:36 +0000

50 signatures reached

2019-02-16 12:42:28 +0000

25 signatures reached

2019-02-16 10:48:48 +0000

10 signatures reached