Mystery hero buys green belt land
A "Local Hero" has bought a green belt field in a stockbroker belt village to stop it being used as a mobile homes site.
He secured the four acres in Hurst Lane, Walton-on-the-Hill, for future pony club use after a deal struck with Jim Delaney, who bought it from a local landowner.
Walton Councillor Michael Buttery said Reigate and Banstead Council had issued Mr Delaney with an enforcement notice for removal of hard-standing and the anonymous resident stepped in to persuade him to sell.
Cllr Buttery said: "I don't know how much he had to pay, but the village is indebted to him. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and a mobile homes site would have been tragic."
The rescue operation follows similar deals in rural communities to outbid travellers paying cash for fields they want for mobile homes sites.
Although Mr Delaney insisted he was merely going to graze horses villagers feared the hard-standing was a preliminary to the arrival of mobile homes.
The scenario was similar to those preceding two private mobile homes sites on other green belt fields in Woodmansterne.
Appeals against council enforcement notices for removal of trailers were both upheld by the Department of the Environment.
Now travellers in a third Woodmansterne field are also appealing to the Department of the Environment for permission to stay.
IC Croydon, 9th November 2004
