Shahid’s story: Fighting for a small but crucial bit of green space in Bradford

There’s a well used green space in my neighbourhood. And when I say well used I really mean it. You can find every age group there, particularly children. In the winter they sleigh in the snow, in summer they play football and cricket.

So far we’ve succeeded and it has been a right tough fight, but it feels like a never-ending battle we’re not really equipped for.

But the local authority has decided they want to sell it to developers.

As a community we’ve got together several times to try and stop this from happening. So far we’ve succeeded and it has been a right tough fight, but it feels like a never-ending battle we’re not really equipped for.

We’re trying to tell the council – please do not lose this important bit of green space. This area has such high rates of obesity and mental health problems, and we live in one of the most polluted parts of Yorkshire. This little piece of land is vital for us and our children.

How would a Community Power Act help?

As the social philosopher John Dewey said, there is a difference between ‘doing to’ and ‘doing with’ and we need people to do things with us whilst respecting our needs rather than steamrolling in with their own ideas.

In a country where health inequalities are growing, where fast food take-aways are easily delivered to our homes, where green spaces are being sold off to housing developers, where sedentary behaviour is on the rise and pollution levels are breaching EU regulations, we really should be finding ways to work with communities to save every remaining green space that offers children and families somewhere to go and burn some energy and be in nature.

…there is a difference between ‘doing to’ and ‘doing with’ and we need people to do things with us whilst respecting our needs rather than steamrolling in with their own ideas.

A Community Right to Buy would mean we would have a chance to get together and take ownership of that much loved green space for ourselves. This Act would make it a legal duty to respect the wishes of residents rather than simply decide what is best for them. It’s exactly the kind of thing that would help our cause. Bring it on!

Shahid Islam, Bradford