Easthampstead Park is a beautiful Victorian mansion set in the Berkshire countryside, it is listed by the Department for the Environment as "a building of historic and architectural interest. Surrounded by 60 acres of woodland, parkland and formal gardens it is a much loved wedding venue, event showground and business conference centre.

The house and its surrounding grounds are owned by Bracknell Forest Council and due to government austerity cuts they are considering selling the house and its grounds.

More worryingly Bracknell Forest Council HAD submitted the grounds to their own housing development process (or call for sites) which estimated the site could have a maximum potential yield of nearly 600 houses (although the council has suggested 114 flats could be more suitable).

During the first week of this petition it received over 6,000 signatures from concerned residents and Bracknell Forest Council have taken these concerns on board by withdrawing the Easthampstead Park from the current site allocation process which is FANTASTIC news.

HOWEVER the future of Easthampstead Park House and its grounds remain uncertain while the council continue discuss its potential sale. The concern is if sold BFC will have no control over the fate of the house or its grounds and it will inevitably be converted into flats and the grounds partially consumed by housing.

Residents of the greater Bracknell area must unite to protect this historic and well used community asset and as such it should remain undeveloped and within the safe hands of the borough council.

The aim of this petition is to encourage the borough council to change their mind and instead offer a guarantee to protect Easthampstead Park house and its grounds.