Knowsley Council has ‘unanimously’ agreed to sell off 10% of the borough’s parks and green spaces for new development over the next 15 years.
The cabinet agreed on Tuesday to the recommendation of the Knowsley Parks and Green Spaces Review Board which carried out a consultation in August and September.
The Board says the move will ‘protect forever’ the rest of Knowsley’s parks and green spaces.
The income generated will create a £40m endowment which will be held by a newly created charitable Trust. The interest from the endowment will fund the future maintenance and care of the remaining 90% of Knowsley’s parks.
‘This council has had £86m ripped from our budget by central Government since 2010 which means we simply cannot afford to maintain and manage our parks in the way we have done previously,’ said the council leader Andy Moorhead.
‘This new community based Trust model safeguards the future of our parks and green spaces for generations to come. If we don’t act now we will see a return to the 70s and 80s with the gradual deterioration of these wonderful community assets.’
