General Information
Acton Field Trust website homepage introduction
The Acton Field Trust was set up in 2023 after a surprising turnaround of events the previous year.
Many Acton residents will remember back to 2017 and the development proposals for the field by Leith Planning Investments which now seem extraordinary when we look back on them.
Uncertainty remained for several years with outline planning permission granted and expiring on two occasions during which time Acton residents had been making use of the field for recreational purposes.
The Parish Council informed the owners of the field, The Innominate Trust, that in the event of their being unable to sell the land for development then the Parish Council would be willing to consider purchasing it for community use.
The extended planning permission expired in 2022 and to the Parish Council’s great surprise and relief The Innominate Trust approached the Parish Council offering to give the land to the village on condition that a charitable trust was set up to manage and retain it for use solely as a community open space.
Conversations, extensive administration and legal work took place to accept and take ownership of the field as well as appointing a management committee.
This was finally completed in May 2024 with Acton Parish Council becoming the sole trustee.
The management committee is made up of six people who are parish councillors and local residents.
Management committee meetings take place three times a year in the Village Hall, the public are welcome to attend and time is set aside for questions and comments.
The Acton Field Trust (AFT) has a governance document to adhere to, this can be found in the documents section or below.
In September 2024 members of the management committee met with a conservation advisor from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust who spent some time on-site and provided us with a constructive management plan.
SWT were extremely pleased with what they saw during their visit and the wish of the committee to preserve the field’s character.
It is the intention of the Trust for the field to remain largely unchanged, with a balance of scrub- grassland habitat, access routes for the public and selected sapling trees allowed to develop.
We feel this is the best way to provide a valuable wildlife environment and a beneficial green space for the community to enjoy.
Advice and guidance has been sought from several other respected sources; local wardens and those already involved in this sector, and their feedback has also been very positive.
We are extremely fortunate to have this expansive green space right in the middle of Acton and are immensely grateful to The Innominate Trust for the generous donation.
The AFT is committed to managing this wonderful community asset for now and generations to come.
Feedback and questions are welcome here
https://actonfieldtrust.org/home/
The Acton Trust is managed by the following committee as of March2025
Chairperson Christine Johnson
Nick Antill
Barry Caradine
Julie Black
John Gibbens
Trustee Secretary Jenny Antill