Calls for strip of Plymouth land outside Gables to be 'gifted'

Pledges to buy a strip of land to “secure access” to a dog and cats home on the edge of Plymouth now stand at £7,000 - and despite calls for the land to be 'gifted' to Gables, owner National Highways is 'bound by Treasury guidance'.

Plymouth City Councillor Terri Beer (Ind, Plympton Erle) has been campaigning for the 0.3 acres of grass verge at the entrance of Gables at Merafield Road, Plympton to be gifted to the charity for £1. But National Highways says it is not permitted to gift land to any third party.

It comes as Highways officials apologises to Plymouth's oldest animal charity after deciding to auction land at its entrance without telling it.

In an email to Cllr Beer, the government-owned publicly funded company said it was required to obtain best value for the taxpayer in disposing of an asset and in this instance it was considered that this could best be achieved by bringing the asset to the open market via auction.

The land has a guide price of £2,000 and will go to auction on December 4. Cllr Beer said the land amounted to a grass verge and was really of no use to anyone else although she understood that members of the travelling community may be interested in it.

“It’s ridiculous that National Highways are selling this. If it was April I would think it is an April’s Fools joke,” she said.

“Charities are struggling anyway and to make them have to fundraise for this land is wrong. It should be gifted as a gesture of good will.”

The councillor said she would continue working to get “the result we are seeking” and is hoping to enlist the help of South West Devon Conservative MP Rebecca Smith.

Gables want to secure safety and access to its premises by acquiring the site and are concerned that the land could go for more than £2,000 on the day.

A Crowdfunder appeal was started by the charity shortly after signs went up on the land.

Gables said: “When the Merafield Road bridge was replaced back in 2016 we started making enquiries to be able to purchase this tiny strip of land that was created when the old bridge was demolished.

“We were passed back and forth between Highways England and Plymouth City Council as no one really knew what was going to happen with this land.”

Gables said it was a “huge shock” to find the signs going up.

“We feel totally disregarded as the adjacent land owner as our boundary used to go right up to the road, but as a new road and bridge were built to demolish the old one – this surplus piece of land was created – pushing our boundary back from the road.”

A National Highways spokesperson said: “We appreciate and empathise with the animal shelter’s interest in the purchase of land close to their estate, and in our most recent communication, we have apologised for not contacting them prior to the sale board being erected.

“The land offered for sale comprises two small plots, one either side of the entrance to The Gables but neither of which impacts on or restricts access to the Gables.

“In terms of managing the public purse, all Government agencies, companies and departments, including National Highways, are bound by Treasury guidance and are obliged to sell surplus land at market value, which means, land should be offered to the public on the open market.

“The sale of this land, by auction in December, provides a fair and transparent opportunity for any potential buyer to make a bid.”

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