Corsham Town Council eyes land switch deal for £1 (From This Is Wiltshire)

Corsham Town Council is drafting a proposal for the transfer of some of its land to Wiltshire Council as part of the town’s campus project.

Councillors at Monday’s town council meeting discussed selling land valued at £30,000, at the Springfield Recreation Ground, for just £1, with a covenant restricting future use on the site.

The town council can choose to transfer land at less than it is worth if the purpose is social, economic or environmental.

The new campus, known as Springfield, being built in Beechfield Road, will include a library, meeting rooms and cafe bar for the community.

Town Cllr Jock Fraser said: “I have no problem with the transfer of the land, as long as the parking in Springfield remains free.”

There are about 100 free parking bays at the leisure centre, which is being demolished. The town council discussed using the land transfer as an opportunity to push for free parking across the town, but town clerk David Martin said this was unlikely to happen.

Councillors decided to discuss the issue again at next month’s meeting. The campus project is expected to be completed in early 2014.