Anxieties over the potential transfer of The Berry back to Salcombe were the subject of intense discussion at last week’s town council meeting.

Several residents of the town expressed concerns over the offer in the public forum. With the potential cost of maintaining the four spaces and South Hams District Council’s insistence on keeping the part of The Berry known as ‘plot A’, being people’s biggest concerns.

At a meeting between the town council and SHDC last month, the district council offered to transfer ownership of all land at The Berry (excluding a parcel of land known as ‘plot A’); Courtenay Park; Cliff House Gardens; and New Cross Gardens to the town council. It was made clear that the town council would be responsible for maintaining these assets after the transfer had been completed.

The public forum at the meeting on Wednesday, July 12 began with two residents, Mike Richards and Roger Tucker, presenting a petition to the council, calling on them to “keep The Berry safe”.

The petition, signed by 273 residents (roughly 10 per cent of the full-time population), states: “The current leasehold for The Berry expires in August. Salcombe Town Council wish to ensure the on-going use of The Berry as an open recreational space for the community. Please sign this petition if you would like to see full responsibility remain in Salcombe Town Council control and not as a development asset for South Hams District Council.”

Mr Richards called on the council to “keep The Berry intact, free of development”.

“The so-called ‘plot A’ is part of the Berry, and this petition is a strong indication of the town’s feelings. We started this petition to support Salcombe Town Council and show that the town is not apathetic. It’s a sensitive issue and we don’t want to see any development on the Berry - there’s a huge amount of wildlife in the woodland known as ‘plot A’.

“If we lose this, there will be a massive environmental impact and it will ruin the aesthetics of The Berry,” Mr Richards added.

Former mayor Rob Wheeler also spoke in the forum, questioning why the deal had been “agreed in principle”, why the offer had been “met with enthusiasm, and calling on councillors to consider “long-reaching caveats”.

“On the surface, it’s a win for SHDC, and a lose for Salcombe Town Council,” he said. “Salcombe gets four bits of land and we give away a £1m development plot.”

Cllr Mike Fice, town mayor explained: “‘Agreed in principle’ is just a legal term, and doesn’t mean any agreement has been reached. There will be a full discussion with the council and the town, with grave consideration given to costs and maintenance,” Cllr Fice assured.

“This is the start of a long-process,” he said. “This is why we’ll be renewing the lease in August. It is our intention to have a full public meeting to put this offer to the town. There are lots of liabilities, particularly the maintenance of the sea wall in Cliff House Gardens and the play area at Courtenay Park,” he said. “It is important that people are aware of all implications.”

Cllr Graeme Lennox called for an investigation into the structure of the sea wall, as well as details of SHDC’s maintenance budget for the land areas. While Cllr Peter Armstrong said “the prize is the Berry - the rest is smoke and mirrors”.

Cllr Fice said that at this stage, SHDC haven’t said “you can’t have one bit of land without the other”. He said further questions needed to be asked, one of which is “can we get The Berry transferred in its entirety?”

Cllr Tony Lang emphasised the necessity of “renewing the lease”. And town clerk, Gill Claydon stated she would double-check this was “in hand with the solicitors.”

“The offer is on the table,” Ms Claydon said. “We have to go back to SHDC with questions. How important is it to take this land? The park and Cliff House Gardens have strict covenants protecting them. If this land was under our control, would it look better?

“There are costs involved, we need to find these costs, but I expect they would be prohibitive,” she added.

Cllr Fice stated his biggest concern was “the sea wall in Cliff House Gardens” but that the council needs to “explore all elements to put to the residents of Salcombe to make in informed view”.

District Cllr Simon Wright, ward member for Salcombe interjected: “Any land in trust should be returned to Salcombe, this is only fair.”

But Cllr Lennox retorted: “We will be given back lots of costs, but no income. The income is being kept; the costs passed on.”

Cllr Fice drew attention to the money SHDC gleam from Salcombe car parks being “second only to Totnes” in the South Hams.

“I don’t think we should take assets without some guarantee of future income,” Cllr Fice said. “But it’s important not to muck this up and lose The Berry - this is what the town desperately wants.”

In conclusion, Cllr Fice said: “We can’t stand by and allow any development on The Berry on ‘plot A’. The woodland forms the entrance to the Berry’s, it’s such an iconic piece of the land.

“We need to look at the maintenance costs separately, the costs of maintaining the park, the structural surveys. But our main aim must be to see the Berry transferred back to the town.”

Cllr Fice said the next stage is to go on a “fact-finding mission” to SHDC.

“This will be long process. We’ll move forward with a plan of action. In the meantime we need to ensure the lease renewal happens,” he added.