Disposal of Land Forming Public Open Space - Kingsway Park
Disposal of Land Forming Public Open Space
Part of land at Kingsway Park, Kirkby in Ashfield
Nottinghamshire NG17 7DJ
Map showing proposed area for land appropriation
Notice is hereby given by Ashfield District Council ("the council"):
- Ashfield District Council ("the Council") hereby gives notice of its intention to appropriate part of the land at Kingsway Park, Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 7DJ, registered under title number NT587554 at HM Land Registry, from its current statutory holding for allotment purposes to holding for public recreation ground purposes
- The land, comprising approximately 2 hectares, is shown edged in red on the attached plan (reference "Land at Kingsway Park, Kirkby in Ashfield", scale 1:1250, dated 2025), and includes areas currently used as informal open space for public recreation and proposed for junior football pitches as part of the Kingsway Park Sports Hub. The land has historically been used for public recreation, although originally acquired for allotments.
- The proposed appropriation is to regularise the land's use and facilitate the delivery of the Kingsway Park Sports Hub, including construction of junior football pitches, under the Council's Towns Fund Programme. Subject to obtaining consent from the Secretary of State under Section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 and consideration of any objections, there will be no change to public access or the recreational use of the land.
A copy of the plan and further details can be inspected during normal office hours at Ashfield District Council, Urban Road, Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 8DA.
Any objections to the intended disposal must be made in writing, stating the grounds of objection, to:
Ruth Dennis
Executive Director Governance and Monitoring Officer
Ashfield District Council
Council Offices
Urban Road
Kirkby in Ashfield
Nottinghamshire
NG17 8DA
- email: kingswaypark@ashfield.gov.uk
No later than 05:00pm on 4 March 2026
Ruth Dennis, Executive Director for Governance at Ashfield District Council said:
We are proposing to appropriate part of the land at Kingsway Park from its original allotment designation to public recreation ground purposes. This formal step will regularise the land's long-standing use as open space for public recreation and enable the approved development of junior football pitches as part of the Kingsway Park Sports Hub. Subject to consultations and approvals, there would be no change to the use or management of the land from a public point of view.
Frequently Asked Questions
"Appropriation" is a legal term and means the Council is changing the official purpose for which it holds the land. In this case, it is changing part of the land at Kingsway Park (registered under title NT587554 and shown edged in red on the plan) from being held for allotment purposes to being held for public recreation ground purposes. This is not a sale or transfer to another party – the land remains owned by the Council.
The land is part of Kingsway Park, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 7BP, shown edged in red on the plan titled "Land at Kingsway Park, Kirkby in Ashfield" It comprises approximately 2 hectares and includes areas currently used as informal open space for public recreation, such as walking and play, and proposed for junior football pitches.
The land is owned by Ashfield District Council. It was originally acquired many years ago for allotment purposes but has not been used for allotments in recent decades and has instead been maintained as open space accessible to the public.
The land is formally held for allotments under the Allotments Act 1925, but it has been used as open space for public recreation for many years. To legally develop it for the approved Kingsway Park Sports Hub the Council must first get consent from the Secretary of State to remove the allotment designation and then appropriate it for public recreation ground use. This supports community health and regeneration without reducing open space.
No. The land has not been used for allotments for many years, and there are no current allotment holders. The Council has alternative sites for allotments in the are that remain unaffected by this proposal. The Secretary of State must confirm the land is no longer required for allotments before proceeding.
Since the land has been used for public recreation, it qualifies as open space under Section 336 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The Council must advertise this notice under Section 123(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 to allow public comments, ensuring community interests are protected even though the use won't change.
The Council, as owner, will continue to manage and maintain the land for public use. The appropriation formalises this, and any future changes would require further legal processes. This aligns with the Council's Corporate Plan for health, regeneration, and sustainable communities.
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Page last updated 03 February 2026