A debate is brewing among Bushey residents over the use of a communal piece of land, soon to leave the control of Hertsmere Borough Council.

Trustees of the thirty-acre Bushey Manor Field, in The Avenue, will take over the running of the land in November, and are adamant the space should remain an “open green-belt area”.

At a meeting of the Bushey Forum last month, some residents suggested the community field be put to use in other ways – examples included installing a skate park or levelling a football field.

Chairman of the Bushey Forum and former Bushey North councillor Robert Gamble claims it is time to have a debate over the land's use.

He said: “We regularly hear there is not enough space in Bushey for projects like a skate park but it is not true. Perhaps the Bushey Manor Field is not the place for it but we need to have that debate.

“I personally think the field should be made more accessible to people – you should be able to kick a ball about and make space for people to take along a picnic but work needs to be done.”

However, chairman of the trustees Mary Carreras said any form of permanent alteration would go against the policies laid out by the Bushey Manor Field Trust.

“There is absolutely no scope for change of use - a skate park would be totally inappropriate. It will be maintained as an open space – I think it is perfectly fine the way it is used at the moment.”

The board of trustees was formed in 2008, after residents won a ten-year battle to keep the land out of developers' hands.

As part of the agreement, Hertsmere Borough Council oversaw the running costs and maintenance of the field for the first two years - a contract that runs out on November 6.

Bushey St James councillor Denise Kieran added: “Opinion is divided but it is an issue that needs to be raised. It is well used by the dog walkers but I think people without dogs are unhappy to go through there because of the mess left by a few irresponsible owners.”

Mrs Carreras said the views of residents and councillors would be taken into consideration, but any decisions regarding the land would fall to the trustees.

The issue is due to form part of the agenda at January's Bushey Forum – let us know your views by commenting below.