A campaign group has been set up by residents in Osbaston to protect green spaces in their area.

FROGS - Friends of Osbaston Green Spaces - are a group of local residents who want to campaign for greater protection for the few green spaces that are left in their part of Monmouth

The group was set up following the proposal by ABUHB, the local health board, to build a health centre adjacent and 80-space car park adjacent to Osbaston primary school in one of the green fields that is well used by residents.

Spokesman Alistair Ray made a presentation to Monmouth Town Council last week and explained that although they agree that Monmouth would benefit from more health facilities, they think this is the wrong location for many practical reasons.

He pointed out that in the Local Development Plan, the space is marked as amenity land, and it is a huge amenity for the local community.

“We’re conducting our own survey with local residents. And what we’ve found is that for many residents it’s their local park, they are out there multiple times a week, walking their dogs, aiding their health and well-being, and simply enjoying being in and looking at green space.

“Some of our respondents have been freely accessing this field for 40 years, and many for over a decade. It’s really part of the character and heritage of Osbaston.

“What’s most significant is that for 84%, a key part of the value stems from the fact that they can simply walk to the field, without having to get into their cars.

Another reason to reject this site he claimed is that it is the destruction of green space. “This field isn’t just an amenity, it’s also the home for a wide variety of wildlife. Kestrels, Buzzards, grass snakes, Sparrow Hawks, Woodpeckers and three types of Owl have all been recorded.

He added, “this is a very biodiverse field, with at least 38 types of bird, 11 types of mammals plus amphibians and reptiles,” dismissing the health board’s ecological survey as very cursory.

He then pointed out the increased flow of traffic down the Osbaston roads.

“The consultants weren’t able to access the county council’s traffic data for key junctions and they never modelled what would happen when the Monnow floods or the impact on traffic above Osbaston Road.

“The fact is the roads of Osbaston can’t take any more traffic and certainly not an extra trip every 90-seconds during peak hours,” he added.

He went on to ask the town council to write to the health board to ask them to conduct a proper consultation before taking any further action, “not just one afternoon in the Shire Hall but a proper rigorous consultation.

“It’s time to ask the people of Monmouth what they want, rather than simply imposing a flawed solution from above,” he added.

“Without that consultation, the health board is destined to continue to propose sites that won’t deliver for the people of Monmouth.”