Verdin Park: We Now Need to Fund the Legal Fight

The campaign to protect Verdin Park has reached an important new stage.

Over the past year, we have investigated the history and legal status of the park, obtained documents through Freedom of Information requests, challenged decisions and repeatedly asked Northwich Town Council to explain the legal basis on which part of Verdin Park could be turned into a hospital car park.

We now have a much clearer picture of what the council intend to do.

Northwich Town Council has decided to continue with the proposal and begin the formal process. At the heart of the issue is land held for the benefit of the public, existing legal protections over Verdin Park, and the Council's responsibilities in dealing with that land.

We have raised serious questions about the proposed legal route and about the Council's position as both leaseholder and trustee. We have also challenged the withholding of the legal advice being relied upon and have taken that issue to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Until now, much of this work has been carried out by residents ourselves. We have researched the legislation, examined historical documents, submitted FOI requests and challenged the council directly.

We are now reaching the point where we need professional legal representation.

That is exactly why we created the Verdin Park legal fund.

The money raised is not for publicity, administration or campaign expenses. It is there so that, when specialist legal advice or representation is required to protect the park, we can obtain it.

We have already achieved a great deal simply by asking questions that needed to be asked. But the next stage requires more than research and persistence. We need the ability to put those questions - and, if necessary, legal challenges - into the hands of people qualified to pursue them.

If you have already donated, thank you. Your contribution has helped put us in a position where we can prepare properly for this stage.

If you haven't donated, or are able to contribute again, this is the point at which the legal fund really matters.

Every contribution helps give Verdin Park the professional legal defence it may now need.

Please donate and share the legal fund:

Verdin Park Defence Legal fund

Verdin Park was given to Northwich for the public to enjoy. We intend to make sure its legal protections are properly tested before any part of it is handed over for development.