Sent by recorded delivery
23rd November 2015
For the attention of Councillor Alan Wood
Ruddington Parish Council
St Peter’s Rooms
Church Street
Ruddington
Nottingham
NG11 6HA
Dear Ruddington Parish Council
I would like the contents of this letter to be read out at the next full meeting of Ruddington Parish Council.
I am writing to you after being informed of your proposal to enter into negotiations with a developer, who wishes to purchase a piece of land which was given to the village of Ruddington by my Grandfather, Frederick William Sellors.
This land was generously donated to the village, and Covenanted, so that it could be enjoyed by all villagers, as I understood, in perpetuity. It wasn’t given for a certain period of time so that after that time the Council could do with it what they wanted.
If the Council wanted to change its use during his lifetime I am sure that he would not have given permission for any change. If the Council had come up with this plan the year after his death then I am sure most people would say ‘it is too soon’. How soon is too soon? If he had mentioned in his Will that after his death they could use the field for what purpose they wanted, then I am sure he would have said so. He did no such thing so to me the original Covenant should still stand.
The registration of Sellors’ playing field as an asset of community value certainly is in line with my Grandfather’s wishes.
It makes no sense to build on this land and then have a replacement playing field to the north of the site, taking it further away from the village, and far more inconvenient for mothers of young children and the elderly. It is mentioned frequently in the media that today’s children spend too much time in front of electronic devices and too little time exercising outside. What you are doing is exacerbating this forward march into obesity for the future generation by making the area less accessible to established residents.
Surely it would make far more sense to build on the proposed area for the new playing fields and leave Sellors’ playing field as it is, which would then be situated in the centre of the development, rather than being pushed to the perimeter.
Obviously I am not aware of all the Council’s future plans but a more sceptical person might suggest that the Council have ulterior motives for building on this site.
I understand that Bloor Homes are the builders who the Council wish to develop in this area as they approached the Council (suggesting that the Council hadn’t even considered developing Sellors’ field until the approach by Bloors). I would ask, only out of ignorance, were any other builders consulted about developing the area? If so what were their plans and did they differ from those of Bloor Homes?
Perhaps another builder could have submitted plans which would have obviously included new homes but at the same time preserved the wishes of the Covenant which my Grandfather bestowed on the village, and also would be in line with the wishes of the villagers.
For a Council to ignore the wishes of those people who put them in a position of trust, power and representation is to my mind a total act of ignorance and arrogance. I understand that nearly 1,000 residents objected to your proposed plans, which must stand for something.
I am also writing to you to express my disgust at your total disregard for the English language, which manifests itself in your incorrect use of an apostrophe. A small point you might think but my family name is Sellors (not Sellor) and Fredrick William Sellors gifted Sellors’ Field. On this issue the Council have not had the decency to check how an individual’s name is spelt. You have now put on record, in a consultation document, which has over 30 references to Sellor’s, that my name and that of my ancestors has been changed from Sellors to Sellor. (It is now being quoted incorrectly in the Nottingham Evening Post. thank you very much!). Would you like your name to be changed by a Council, or anyone else for that matter?
Whilst on this subject I am also aware that there is a road in Ruddington called Sellars Avenue. I would like you to confirm whether this road/avenue was named after Frederick Sellors. If so no doubt you can see what I am getting at.
I await your reply with anticipation
Yours sincerely
Roger William Sellors
Copies to : Rushcliffe Borough Council
Nottingham Evening Post
Bloor Homes
Protect Ruddington Action Group
Protect Ruddington 