Due to the number of photos used in this post, it is best viewed directly on the Hemsworth Ferret website.
No strangers to controversy, especially with regards to land encroachment. Ferret’s readers are already aware of the brick wall erected at their home adjacent to the entrance at the Waterpark at Kinsley, which enclosed a substantial amount of land owned by Wakefield Council.
Ferret has now been alerted by a reader of a possible repeat of their actions at the side of the former Farmers working men’s club, now a car park. The same car park that was controversially fenced off and cleared by Hemsworth Town Council and the cost being borne by you the precept payer.
The reader was concerned because the land at the side of the farmers club as was, was never part of the club itself, and was used by local residents as a car park and more importantly a footpath had been established from Fitzwilliam street to Wakefield road and was in regular use.
Ferret being Ferret decided to take a look into this and made use of the Historical images on Google earth going back to 2002.
2002
The images do show 2 distinct areas, complete with boundaries, the club as was and a similar area in size next to the houses with a foot path clearly on and an area being used for car parking next to those houses.
2009
Move forward in time to 2009 and you can clearly see the footpath, the area used by the houses and more importantly this area is still separate from the Farmers site.
2016
Move forward again to 2016, the dividing boundary has gone but still no fencing to enclose and exclude the public from this area of land.
2018
Move in time once again to 2018, and the first image shows the land cleared and with the funfair on, but no fencing once again to exclude anyone or claim the land.
2019 onwards
The fencing is faint in the overhead shot but clear in the road side picture and the site is fence on all sides.
So, Councillors Eccles:
Do you legally own the additional land that has been annexed and where you have closed off the footpath?
Hemsworth Town Council:
Did you check if all of this land was owned by the Eccles before you fenced it with our money, our staff or have you aided and abetted the closure of a footpath and encroachment of land?
yes but as lady E claims they are entitled and we their serfs must accept it, its time the good people of Kinsley were rid of these and a decent councillor elected to represent them because lord n lady E are only interested in themselves and assert stripping the community
Wow – I can’t believe this! Great detective work Ferret.
There are detailed planning type maps on the WMDC web site, under “Where I Live” (just type in a post code), which clearly show the boundary of The Farmers Arms property/land and they’ve definitely encroached on quite a lot of land – with our resources!
And then they kindly allow residents to park there free, occasionally, knowing full well half of it isn’t theirs.
They probably wanted it resurfacing to smudge the boundary, asap.
No idea who does own that patch of land but is this theft?
OMG – whatever next? .
If this land is not Eccles all involved should resign including Draper.
This has been brought to attention before of course, although todays post by ferret and the FB pictures from Carol, highlight the attempted dubious encroachment even more! People of Kinsley and especially nearby residents know exactly what he is up to! He appears to have got away with the “theft” of land at the waterpark entrance and the lord and lady must think they are entitled to more “free” land! The farmers land in question of course could prove to be very valuable if it to be developed into houses for example! Perhaps an aerial shot of above may see if any encroachment has occured at the rear of the farmers too? The Eccles new development at Kirkbygate Coffee may be in question also if you ask me with “land” procured at the side! They call it entitlement…I call it theft!
I believe this is how land can be claimed quite legally in England under an Adverse Possession:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adverse-possession-of-registered-land/practice-guide-4-adverse-possession-of-registered-land
Plain English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wER9O7hRicA
The rightful owner of the land must come forward to contest the claim within a decade. This is probably why they’ve not sold it to developers and left us a bloody eyesore. It isn’t yet all theirs to sell, but it eventually will be, if nobody contests. Unfortunately it’s down to whoever currently owns the land now that a possession has already been applied for. If indeed it has an owner.
intresting cause the land belonged to wmdc as it was know as the green in kinsley in the 70s 80s …so cause waki aint maintained it …and no squaters on land has it was used by public upto covid lock down for parking that this fence appeared..that they can just claim it ? blocking axcess and walk way path ….planning already been proposed for housing ….buy or steal and sell big …..think il go down and claim land at side gas block been untouched for years lol
think il try claiming gas work in kinsley then lol abandoned years ago …but me think somebody will already have this ear marked lol
Obviously I should say I’m assuming they’re playing this long game to acquire the land for future profit, but yes, this is a thing that can be done if nobody can prove prior ownership of unused land. It looks this way, that plot looks like a perfect brownfield site for development and could transform a very dilapidated entrance into Kinsley into something more appealing. Much more important to build there first I’d say than on fields or other greenbelt. Of course for all I know, they might have purchased the land anyway, or already owned it, but I wonder why else they’d be sitting on something so valuable. I don’t know what the story is behind the Farmers demolition and how and when the Eccles came to own the land (or what else they own), but I’d be interested to know!