Keep Church Langton’s ‘Open Space’ Open

The Leicester Diocesan Board of Education has tried in recent years since 2016 to get building permission to build on the only open space available to Church Langton villagers (in Leicestershire). After a long tussle in the face of universal opposition from local residents and the Parish Council & District Councils, two planning applications were refused, and an appeal was roundly rejected on appeal to a planning inspector. Now (for a second time) the Board is seeking tenders for renting the land (deadline 27th November), again expressing a preference for grazing which will stop the community using the land as at present.

The Board, part of the wider Church family, is a registered charity which claims in its vision statement to act in ways ”rooted” in “partnership with parish and community”. Yet it has refused even to pause the tendering which it suddenly sprang upon a village now in Covid lockdown, when a pause would help everyone to do everything possible to seek together a reconciliation between the LDBE’s interests (as its Trustees currently interpret them) and those of the community.

After initial cordial discussions highlighted the very real differences between LDBE and the community, but also began to suggest some possible creative and constructive ways forward, two residents, subsequently supported by over 60 members of the local community on the local village Facebook group, have had their emailed request to LDBE to pause the tendering rejected (on 17th Nov). The Parochial Church Council — another member of the Church family — have now requested a pause, and wish the land to remain open to all. The Parish Council, which has previously offered to rent the land but been turned down, has also asked formally for a pause, and desires the same accessibility.

The Trustees are stewards of the land, enjoined by LDBE’s formal objects to act in line with the doctrine and practices of the Church of England as they promote church education, and by their own stated vision to act “rooted” in “partnership with parish and wider community”. To pause to talk while the land is kept open would be constructive, seem very Christian, and demonstrably show partnership. All parties might create a mutually acceptable, better solution for the short and longer term future. The Trustees would be acting, as all charity trustees must, for the wider ‘public benefit’.