In our last Newsletter we mentioned the Liverpool Local Plan, which will eventually supersede the UDP and may well lead to some of our Green Spaces - not just the Gateacre Comp site, but also Alderman John Village Garden, Larchwood Neighbourhood Park and the land opposite St Stephen's Church - losing their protected status. Liverpool City Council's Physical Assets Department is hoping to raise funds by selling-off land for housing development.

A citywide organisation called Save Our Green Spaces (Liverpool) has been set up to fight these plans, and we are founder members. If you wish to help, please let us know. More importantly, please take part in the Council's 'Post-Consultation Survey', the closing date of which is 31st January. For details of the procedure, please read our guidance notes (see below).

Council officers have clarified that the 'threatened' part of Belle Vale Park is the plot between McDonalds and the Millennium Centre. In the case of Gateacre Recreation Ground (a.k.a. the Cricket Field) it is, apparently, the wooded area between Thornside Walk and the Sustrans path.