On behalf of the local community Plym Valley Heritage completed the process of applying to have Hooe Green registered as a village green in August 2014. Once registered it will be protected as a village green.
The benefits of registering land as a village green are to:
• Secure permanent recording of the land as a town or village green,
• Protect the land from development and other forms of detrimental activity
• Secure the right of local people to enjoy the land for recreation in perpetuity
• Give the registered land a new status as land for the community, to be valued and enjoyed
• Ensure that existing and prospective owners are aware of the established recreational
function of the land.
In 1964 Plymouth City Council created the green by infilling the southern end of Hooe Lake. This was not solely a generous municipal gift to the community, they were looking for a place to dump rubble from building clearance in the town centre. Remember the Guinness Clock at Drake's Circus? Well the building that supported it is under Hooe Green. Rather a co-incidence too as Edna Sherrell had a florist's shop in that building and Edna was the last owner of Hooe Barton Farm, which she sold to Wimpey for building land. Hooe Barton Farm overlooked what is now Hooe Green. This forms the only large level space in Hooe and is much used by the community as a playground, dog walking, fetes and fairs.
Gill Whillock, then Chair of PVH, said "This is a very exciting project which will benefit the community as a whole.”
We have had an excellent response to our questionnaires and many interesting photographs showing previous use.
We are hopeful of a successful outcome, especially considering that the infilling of the lake was for the purpose of creating a village green and PCC have continually maintained it as such, planted trees and created a children’s playground and kickabout pitch.
NEWS as at 26th July 2016
Following the notice that an application has been made to have the green included in the register of village greens and the posting of notices around the green and in the local press to this effect, no objections have been received. The matter is now being ‘considered further’ by PCC.
News as at 13th August 2017
PCC considered further and referred it on to the Planning Committee. We await their meeting. “Remember that, when said and done, A lot is said but little done.”
News as at 20th May 2019
Robin Blythe-Lord, Chairman of PVH said today: "Well it has taken nearly five years but I have now heard that the application has been included in the agenda for the next planning committee meeting on the 30th May 2019. During the whole of the process of the application there have been no objections from any member of the public or the landowner (PCC). The recommendation to the committee from the case officer is that the committee should approve the application.”
News as at 30th May 2019
The planning committee met today and approved our application to have Hooe Green registered as a village green. Many thanks to all of you who supported us, completed our questionnaires, provided photographs and usage statements. Hooe Green is now officially a Village Green, protected as a recreation area for the community. The landowner remains PCC from whom permission must be sought for use by large scale or commercial events. To see the meeting go to https://plymouth.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/421517 and choose '7b Land Known as Hooe Green’ from the agenda items list.