UPDATE on our bid to buy the Fields:
MANT has partnered with Menston Parish Council and another individual to put in a bid to buy Otley Road fields for the community. Bids were in on 26th May 2023. As of 28th June we have still not heard if the vendors have decided on the winning bid. We will update this page as soon as we have further news.
Thank you to everyone who has donated or supported our campaign! We have been overwhelmed by people’s generosity, and belief that we can make positive changes to our environment. We really value your support!
Our Vision:
The fields next to Otley Road, Menston, between the Fox roundabout and Murphy’s Mill, are for sale. This is a rare opportunity for the village to secure some natural green space for all, where people can freely enjoy being in nature. There is also a suitable area for allotments, which the village currently lack. MANT wants your help to buy these fields for the village. We need to raise about £150,000 before 26th May 2023.
Please watch the video below for further information.
Our Promise:
If our bid is unsuccessful, any money raised will be spent on land for nature and the community in the local area. Donations will be returned if requested.
The Catch:
These fields are currently Greenbelt. However, Avant has plans to build 109 houses here. They paid the current owners for an ‘option’ over the fields. This means that if they get planning permission they can force any owner to sell to them. This ‘option’ runs out in November 2024.
The consequence of this is that if we buy the fields, and planning permission is granted, we will have to sell to Avant. However, if they don’t get planning permission before November 2024, MANT can guarantee the fields will be safe in perpetuity. If MANT was forced to sell, any money from the sale would go towards buying another piece of land for nature and the community in the area.
It’s not ideal, but helping MANT buy these fields is the best chance we have of saving this important green space for the village. The danger is that any other purchaser would be able to extend the option to build until planning permission is granted.
Local Support:
Geoff Lomas, Menston in Bloom: “These fields give an ideal opportunity for the development of allotments.”
Charlotte Simons, Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust: “These fields are linking into the other habitats that are around them. Losing a site like this means we could break that link and isolate the wildlife living around Menston. Once a population gets isolated – that’s when we start to lose our wildlife.”
Please give as generously as you are able, and ensure your children and grandchildren will be surrounded by nature into the future.