"Green spaces are good, do good and need to be protected for good. They are not pleasant nice-to-haves to be taken for granted - they are the green hearts of our communities.”
(Fields in Trust) Get InvolvedWho we are
We are a group of Oundle people who are committed to managing the maintenance and use of Fletton Field on behalf of Oundle Town Council for the local community to enjoy. Here is a link to our constitution – FFA constitution
Fletton Field
Fletton Field is a valuable green space in the heart of Oundle, located behind houses on Glapthorn Road; between Oundle School Chapel and the Abbot House care home. Access to the field is by means of a footpath from Glapthorn Road and along a track from the car park behind Fletton House to the northwest corner of the field.
Fletton Field was bought from John Smiths brewery by the Oundle Guardians of the Poor in 1899 and was originally used as allotments for the workhouse.
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) acquired title to the land under the Local Government Act of 1929 and the field was used by Oundle Primary School until the school was relocated in 2016.
NCC sought to sell the land for development and a campaign to save the field as a publicly accessible green space was launched by the Oundle Recreation and Green Spaces Group.
When North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) came into being on 1 April 2021, title transferred to the unitary authority, and the Fletton Field Association (FFA) was formed to reactivate the campaign, updating the registration of the field as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ and producing a Business Plan with a vision for the field to be run as a public amenity, open to all.
On 13 October 2022, the NNC Executive Committee made the following key decisions:
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Confirmed use of Fletton Field as public open space, foregoing any potential development value from the site
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Authorised transfer of the site, and noted that any transfer would be restricted to use as public open space
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Noted that Oundle Town Council (OTC) was interested in acquiring the site as public open space
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Would encourage continued support for community activity on the field by the Fletton Field Association (FFA).
Following negotiations between NNC and OTC, OTC committed to purchase Fletton Field from NNC at the full council meeting held on 17 October 2023.
Our plans are evolving. See the current FFA Phase 1 activity plan
- Picnic and memorial bench seating
- All-weather paths suitable for wheelchair access
- Fire pit, with log seating for supervised campfire fun
- Wildflower meadow area, bug hotels, to promote and sustain biodiversity
- A sensory area, where anyone may enjoy the touch and fragrance of the planting
- Raised beds, for groups interested in accessible gardening
- A gate for Abbott House, residents should not have to take the long way round
- Fruit trees, fruit for local consumption and to support the green canopy
- Cycle racks, to support low carbon transport
Appropriate signage, secure tool storage, rainwater harvesting equipment and public waste bins will also be installed as soon as possible to ensure the field is a clean and safe space for all to enjoy.
To bring these ideas to life, take a look at websites of The Green Patch🔗 and The Geddington Brickyard Garden🔗 – don’t you think this would be popular in Oundle?
The phase one activity plan gives an idea of how these ideas could become reality. Additional suggestions would be welcomed.
Become a Friend of Fletton Field
Would you like to become a Friend of Fletton Field to support our activities, keep up to date with news, and vote on the election of Officers and major issues? If so, please fill in our online form.
There is no membership subscription, but we may sometimes ask for voluntary donations to support a particular activity.
👍 Download the Vision Document and let us know your thoughts! Would you like to propose an addition?
👍 Go for a walk around the field – enjoy the nature that already exists there and consider what it could offer the town.
👍 Talk to Oundle Town and North Northamptonshire Councillors about Fletton Field – tell them you want to see the vision become a reality.
👍 Join us on facebook – @SaveFlettonField or email us with comments and/or to join or receive updates from our regular meetings.
Other ways you can help?
As we move forward into more of a doing phase, we are seeking people who can get practically involved. We have proposed a Phase 1 activity plan that you can see here. We will have a monthly schedule of activities for either maintaining the field or creating some of the facilities. If you would like to help or become more involved please email us at flettonfield@gmail.com
