Barn owl mural painted in bid to protect green space
BBCCampaigners have unveiled a huge mural of a barn owl in a bid to stop green space being developed in their village.
The spray-painted bird overlooks an area of grassland and football pitches known as Roughfields in Hadfield, Derbyshire, which campaigners say could one day be developed.
In High Peak Borough Council's local plan, the site is earmarked for 102 homes along with a school and nursery.
Local plans are long-term plans for an area, and although the authority says it has no current proposals to build on the land, campaigners fear the allocation could lead to housing being developed there in the future.
The Save Roughfields campaign group has more than 1,000 followers on Facebook after it started in December 2020.
Founder Halina Billingham said: "When I actually saw it going up on the wall and saw [the artist's] beautiful, fantastic creativity that he's put into this, I was very moved.
"The idea of the mural is that it represents the wildlife and all the natural beauty of what you see behind me that is Roughfields.
"It is also really a reminder of what we stand to lose if we have houses built here."
The mural is on the gable end of a house in Padfield Main Road, Hadfield, and it overlooks the land that is used by dog walkers, footballers and families.
The land was designated as an asset of community value in 2023, meaning that if it comes for sale, then the community has the chance to bid for it.
However, this runs out after five years in 2028, and the campaigners say they are worried about the long-term future of this site.
Artist Richard Preston, who regularly walks on Roughfields, created the piece.
"I've got a few other large murals knocking around in Manchester but this one's definitely been the most emotional project that I've done so far because the landscape's just absolutely stunning," he said.
"I feel like the owl sits perfectly right in the middle of it all."
High Peak Borough Council deputy leader Damien Greenhalgh said: "Roughfields has featured in the High Peak local plan for the past decade and is listed as an asset of community value by the council, recognising its importance to the local community and their wellbeing.
"The fantastic owl mural is a great example of the pride residents take in their neighbourhood and the place they call home on the edge of the Peak District National Park.
"We continue to invest in and improve the local park for residents and families to enjoy, and I want to reassure the community that there are currently no plans to develop the Roughfields site."
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