Concerns have been raised after land at a Kendal estate is set to go under the hammer next week.
Green space at the Kirkbie Green estate is due to be sold at auction on June 25, with a guide price of £10,000.
Since 2021, Kirkbie Green Community Group has improved the area by tidying, planting, accessibility work and biodiversity measures.
Their work has included wildflowers, ferns, bird boxes, bat boxes and wider habitat improvements.
The work has been supported and funded by Kendal Town Council and Westmorland and Furness Council.
It is understood that the land was owned by housing developer Persimmon, which sold it to a private buyer earlier this year.
The new owner of the land has decided to sell it and residents now want reassurance about the future of the land.
Concerns have been raised about the future protection of the sites, the possibility of development, and the fact that the community was not advised in advance before the land was put up for auction.
Bob Gibbs, founder of Kirkbie Green Community Group, said: “These greens are not just bits of land. They are places people care about, use and look after. Residents have put time, energy and care into making them better for people and wildlife.
“What matters most is that this has been led by the community. People who live here have shared ideas, looked after the spaces, planted for biodiversity and created something that gives the estate a real sense of pride. It has also helped neighbours get to know one another and reduced isolation.
“Finding out that the land has been put up for auction, without residents being advised in advance, has caused understandable concern.
“We now want to work constructively with the landowner, the councils and any other relevant parties to make sure these spaces remain protected, accessible and valued for the benefit of Kirkbie Green and the wider Kendal community.”
Councillor Eamonn Hennessy, who helped organise funding for the work, said: “Kirkbie Green Community Group is a strong example of community power in action.
“Residents have come together, looked after local spaces and improved them in a way that benefits the whole area. Public money and many hours of voluntary effort have gone into making these greens more accessible, attractive and biodiverse. It is understandable that residents now want clarity about what happens next.”
Cllr Jonathan Cornthwaite, local councillor for the area, said: “These spaces should be protected and maintained for the people of Kirkbie Green and Kendal.
“We are seeking clarity about the sale, the future of the land and how the community’s work and investment can be safeguarded.
“Residents have improved these spaces with care, public funding and voluntary effort, and it would have been helpful for the community to have been advised in advance. The priority now is to work constructively with the landowner to understand the position and find a positive way forward.”
Residents and local councillors are now seeking further information about the auction and what protections, if any, are in place for the land.
They hope is that a constructive solution could be found which keeps the green spaces available, accessible and protected.
