There are fears that a cash-strapped council's 'fire sale' of land could see housing built on the 'green lungs' of the city. Campaigners have been fighting to protect Berryhill Fields from development for years, after the green space was previously earmarked for up to 1,300 homes.

The land was assessed as being not 'currently viable' for development in 2020, and there were hopes this would see it excluded from Stoke-on-Trent's forthcoming local plan, which will serve as the city's planning blueprint up to 2040. But there are now concerns that Stoke-on-Trent City Council's need to raise funds to pay back a £42.2 million government loan – requested to prevent the authority going bankrupt – could result in sites such as Berryhill being sold off to developers.

But Labour council chiefs insist that the disposal of land will be 'open and transparent' and that residents will be able to voice their concerns over any particular sites. Cabinet members recently agreed to declare 11 sites 'surplus', which could result in them being sold off.

These sites include 144,900 square metres of public open space at the end of Mossfield Road, Adderley Green – which sits next to the land at Berryhill previously earmarked for housing. During the full council debate over the budget, Heather Blurton, Conservative councillor for Bucknall and Eaton Park, raised concerns over this site, and the authority's sale of its shares in Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration Limited, in the context of the £42.2 million loan.

The council will need to raise funds to pay back a £42.2 million government loan (Nub News).

She said: "One way of paying back the loan is through the sale of land and buildings. The council is one of the largest property owners within the city, yet we must ensure that in order to pay back the loan quickly, there is no quick fire sale of our assets.

"Before Christmas the Labour administration began the process of disposing of the council's shares in the company that owns these. The company owns the majority of Berryhill Fields that surrounds Eaton Park.

"In addition to this, Labour are considering selling the treasured public open space at the end of Mossfield Road, the part of Berryhill Fields which goes towards Adderley Green. Selling a public open space – that didn't happen when the Conservatives were in charge – now appears to be happening under Labour.

"My concern is that this budget has a hidden agenda, which is an agenda to sell off green space and public open space."

Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and planning, insisted that Berryhill Fields had remained at risk due to the previous Conservative administration's failure to agree a local plan – something which still has not happened.

He said: "Berryhill was at risk, and is at risk still, because [the Conservative] administration didn't have a local plan."

Councillor Alastair Watson denied that a firesale of land would take place (Nub News).

Alastair Watson, cabinet member for financial sustainability and corporate resources, denied that a 'firesale' of land would take place.

He said: "You can see that as evidenced by the last cabinet paper. Last month a cabinet paper came forward – it wasn't closed, it was open – the sites for disposal were clearly listed and described.

"In terms of the process for disposal there was even an email address in the report for members of the public who feel they can see a better use for a site or building to contact the council. The council is committed to listening, and if there are any material issues they will go back to the cabinet. It's a very open and transparent process."

Gareth Snell, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central, has started an online petition on his Facebook page calling for Berryhill Fields to be protected.

He said: "After 14 years of funding reductions, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has had to cut £270m from local services. Now, to continue to provide services, the Government have offered a loan of £40m – but like all loans, this has to be paid back.

"There is a real risk that to pay back this loan, Berryhill Fields will no longer be protected from developers who want to take advantage of the council's financial troubles.

"Berryhill Fields are the green lungs of our city. It is a haven of wildlife and nature which, if lost, will be gone forever."

Member of the public with views on the land at Mossfield Road, or any of the other sites declared surplus by the council, should email [email protected].

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