A MUCH-LOVED area of public green space in Dawlish could be taken over by a community group.

The Newhay, next to St Gregory’s Church, is Glebe land belonging to the Diocese of Exeter but it’s future is in doubt after Teignbridge Council failed to renew its lease on the site.

Campaigners say the four acres of land, which has historically been used as informal recreation open space, is rich in wildlife and accessible for old people and those with disabilities.

Town councillors in Dawlish have been looking into ways the land could be protected.

A special task and finish group was set up and has presented its findings.

A report to councillors said: ‘The Newhay Task and Finish Group recognises the considerable community value and historic importance of the Newhay.

‘However, following extensive due diligence investigations, independent professional advice, and detailed consideration of the operational, financial, legal and liability implications, the group concluded that it would not be in the best interests of the town council or local council taxpayers to take on responsibility for the site.’

But councillors have agreed to ‘strongly support the the principle of a properly constituted community group taking on the future management of the site for the continued benefit of the local community’.

The council said representatives of the Diocese have advised the future of the Newhay will be considered at a Diocese meeting later this month.

The report continued: ‘The Group also recognised an independent community organisation may be significantly better placed than the town council to access and secure a wider range of external grant funding opportunities, charitable funding streams, environmental funding, community asset grants and volunteer-led support schemes that are not always available to local authorities.

‘The Group considered this could provide a more sustainable long-term model for maintaining the Newhay as a public open space whilst reducing the direct financial burden on local council taxpayers.’

After the meeting, campaigner Betsy Binyon said there had been a good turn out with lots of members of the public who spoke ‘passionately’ about what the Newhay means to them.

She said people are keen to move forward with a community group running the Newhay.

The Diocese had previously approached the town council asking if it would be interested in taking on the land on a leasehold basis.

But this would be an annual rent of about £2,000 and any arrangement would be on a full repair and insure basis with all maintenance, liability and operational responsibilities transferring.

A survey of the land carried out by the town council identified a ‘range of concerns’ including deteriorated fencing, inadequate edge protection adjacent to watercourses, potential fall hazards, overgrown vegetation and ‘ongoing maintenance liabilities’.

The town council has pledged to agree to support a suitable community proposal but as a ‘facilitator’ rather than a land manager.