CHARLTON Parish
Council were alerted to
the need to take action to
protect open spaces when
an article headed ‘Village
Green Laws to Change’
appeared in a Midweek
Andover Advertiser —
and are now asking residents
to come forward
with their recollections of
the use of open spaces in
the village.

 

The council will then
form a register of the
sites and look to preserve
their use. However, members
of the wider public
who have been Charlton
residents in the past may
also be in a position to
offer some vital evidence.
 

Recollections and photographs
showing the green
area to the front of the
Carters Meadow development
being used by the
public will be particularly
helpful.
 

Pictures from 1908 to
1915 published in the
‘Charlton Village News’
appear to show that the
area was totally open for
public use at that time,
and it is understood that
the area would remain
open after development
took place.
 

But, in 2008 a metal
fence was erected to bar
access to the land south of
the river. Minutes from
meetings around the time
confirm that the council
deemed the fence to be
illegal.
 

Nevertheless the metal
fence has remained in
place to bar access and,
together with a plethora
of notices, it serves to
deter members of the
public from making use of
the open area.
 

If any of your readers
can offer help towards
registering this or other
open spaces in Charlton
they should send their
information to any parish
councillor or to the clerk
at clerk.charlton@parish.
hants.gov.uk.
 

Alan High, Lakeside
Close, Charlton