Outrage as Sheffield City Council to sell 'community' green spaces with emphasis on potential for 'dwellings'

Sheffield City Council will "kill" local communities if they sell popular green spaces to dwelling developers, an outraged resident has told The Star.

Mohammed Almaqramy, aged 37, of Verdon Street, Burngreave, discovered the much loved community space off of Neville Drive, adjoining the Denholme Close Recreation Ground, was being sold by the council after it appeared on a Rightmove listing.

He said: "This is a community green space and there isn't any alternative to this locally. Why are they trying to kill this local community?

"It's shocking to be honest... it is regularly used by young children. Not even just children, we will sit there during the summer."

Mr Almaqramy, an architect assistant at a local firm, said "other areas" of the city are untouched by sales of green spaces.

Sheffield Council has been contacted for a response.

On Rightmove, Sheffield City Council currently has five green spaces for sale - three in S5 area, the Neville Drive plot in S3, and a plot on Daniel Hill Street in S6, which locals have said is "full of wildlife".

Each of the five listings place an emphasis on the development potential for residential space - with the plot off of Neville Drive offering "potential to accommodate approximately 24 dwellings".

"The big issue is that, if this goes along, the car park will be chaos," Mr Almaqramy said. "There are already cars on the kerbs around the area currently."

A group of locals, led by Mr Almaqramy, plan to object to the Neville Drive sale, but said he has found it difficult to do so.

He said: "Residents are not happy. I have contacted the council through Rightmove. They aren't making it easy to object to anything at the moment."