Parishioners were also asked to agree to sell a historic barn next to the rectory, which is currently leased by Scouts on a long-term basis, but refused permission for that too at a lively parish meeting.
The constables said the field was currently leased to the Professor Shaw Community Centre for £1 per year with a term of 250 years, but transferring ownership to its trust would help it make the most of the land in future.
‘The community centre have plans they’d like to do with the field, at the moment they’d have to come through the constables to get permission for this and for that,’ said senior constable Dave Beausire.
‘It’s definitely not for building and we would definitely not sell it without a clause that it stays for recreation only.’
A representative from the community centre trust said it was aware of the parish plan being worked up, which contained some suggestions it wanted to explore further. He said that the idea would be to use the field to serve the community.
‘What’s being proposed just simplifies the process because it takes one of the steps out of the way from our perspective,’ he said.
But there was concern in the room about the parish losing control of a significant area of green community space in the heart of St Martin’s village, including from senior States member Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, who lives in the parish.
‘At the moment, we know that any change to the field would come through the parish and, although we know and trust the people who are involved in the community centre at the moment, we don’t have longer-term security over that,’ she said.
‘I’m trying to understand the legal mechanisms by which we could have that reassurance that it’s not going to be developed into a car park or flogged off for housing once the next generation of custodians comes into being.’
There was also concern from the president of the South Show about a lack of consultation with key stakeholders.
‘The show is a great community event which historically was in the fields down by Blanche Pierre Lane, but we found a new home and that field next door to the community centre is a key part of what the show has become,’ said John Ogier.
‘But tonight is the first I’ve heard about an approach and this is a major decision.
'Once you lose ownership, you lose control, and I’m concerned that where we are tonight is definitely premature because nobody has spoken to me – or any other members of the South Show – at this point in time.’
He said as a parish resident for more than 50 years, he recognised that the parish would be changing and said he would welcome more affordable housing.
‘But green space is also incredibly valuable, and that’s the one field that’s right in the heart of St Martin’s and has that opportunity to be made for even greater community use than it is at the moment. Once you sell it, you lose control of its future.’
The proposal for a sale was rejected by 31 votes to 13. Also thrown out by the ratepayers present, by 26 votes to 18, was a move to sell a Scout hut and its surrounding area.
‘This has followed on from where the parish did give us permission to sell the rectory,’ said junior constable Rob Prow, who reiterated that the motivation behind that decision had been its poor condition and the high cost of upkeep.
That process had started and it had become clear that there was interest in the purchase of the barn alongside it, which he said was a very old building that was not fit for purpose for the Scouts.
‘The constables believe that we have a duty to the Scouts to find something more suitable. Like the field, we also have a lease – a 99-year lease with a minimal rent,’ he said.
Speaking at the meeting, group Scout leader Andy Snell said the property had been a well-loved home for the Scouts, but they would be willing to give up having their own space if somewhere more suitable could be found.
‘I would like there to be a better Scout hut, a better facility – but not only for Scouts, for the youth of the parish. We would help with the fundraising towards it and we would help towards that building’s longevity.
‘I don’t want the barn to be sold from underneath us, but I do want some certainty around what can be done now.’
Concerns were also raised about the impact on parking of any sale, with a local shopkeeper and nearby residents currently using land around the barn during the day and overnight.
‘It’s opened up the conversation and the debate, and we’re listening,’ said Mr Beausire.
‘There’s a lot of things in the pot that we’re trying to sort out as best we can and we won’t get it right all the time.’