One month till Lower Field could be sold - where are we at now?
For almost 100 years, Lower Field has been shared by the school and the wider Totnes community. But in a months’ time, on November 20th, Lower Field could be put up for sale.
From organised team sports to kite flying and picnics, Lower Field is a vital place for young people and families to play, exercise and spend time together.
Recognising its importance to the community, the field was listed as an Asset of Community Value by Totnes Town Council. Once Education South West (ESW), the trust which KEVICC is a part of, formally ‘disposed’ of the land, this triggered a crucial six-month moratorium, giving community groups the opportunity to develop a bid before the land can be put on the open market.
But in a months’ time, on November 20th, the moratorium ends and Lower Field can legally be put up for sale for the first time since it was last sold by the Norman-descended Champernownes to Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, who later gifted it to the school and the community.
We're not anti-sale. We can see plainly the need for the school to raise funds and the Town’s need for affordable housing. Believing the above does not mean we cannot also seek genuine engagement with the community over the future of the site and a solution that meets the school's needs without sacrificing a prized community asset forever.
If a community-led bid is possible anywhere, it’s Totnes. There’s still a lot we don’t know, including the land’s current value. With the deadline approaching and the land likely being put on the open market soon after, we’re urging ESW to engage in good faith and work in partnership with the community to provide a fair opportunity to put forward a credible offer. ESW's cooperation could help give a community ownership model a fighting chance at success.
Following sustained community pressure, ESW is planning to hold a public meeting about the sale on 10th November at 5.50pm at KEVICC. This is an important opportunity to get answers and make our voices heard. We need as many people as possible to attend, ask questions and show ESW just how much Lower Field matters to Totnes.
In the meantime, we’re keeping the community informed through our weekly Pledge to Play gatherings, working with local sports clubs and residents, building support from local councillors and our MP Caroline Voaden, and exploring ways to protect public access and secure a community-led future for the site.
What can you do?
Join our final Pledge to Play's at 11am on Saturday the 17th and Saturday the 24th October to hear more about the next steps of the campaign.
The most important thing you can do is come along to ESW’s public meeting on 10th November at 5.30pm at KEVICC and make your voice heard. Add it to your calendar today.
In the meantime, you can email ESW’s CEO, Michael Shanks, to explain why Lower Field matters to you and urge the trust to engage meaningfully with the community before the land is put up for sale. You can contact him via admin@educationsouthwest.org.uk