OVER 100 people crammed into Falmouth Bowling Club this week to voice their opposition to the proposed sell-off of the town's Recreation Ground.

People living in Dracaena Avenue are horrified that Falmouth Rugby Club wants to sell its lease to enable developers to build houses on the site.

The proposal has been agreed in principle by Carrick district council who would have to agree to sell the land to the developers for the scheme to go ahead.

On Monday, angry residents voted unanimously to fight to keep the Recreation Ground as open space.

They formed the Falmouth Recreation Action Group, headed by chairman Bob Hodge, of Tregenver Road, to fight the plan and look into the history of the site to exploit any loopholes in the proposed sale.

Speaking at the meeting Mr Hodge said he had called it to hear what peoples' feelings were about the proposed development. A petition against the sell-offwas also being enthusiastically signed by everyone who entered the room.

Tony Brooks told the meeting it would be "absolutely disgusting" if everything was not done to keep the Recreation Ground for the children of Falmouth.

Local resident Val Whitworth said the ground was an open space which had been allowed to fall into ruin by the rugby club.

"When I first moved here 12 years ago you could walk through there but for the last two years the gates have been locked."

She said she had worked hard to get the proposal to build a supermarket on the site stopped and she would work hard to get this stopped.

But David Retchford, from the rugby club, although not representing the club, said it had been forced to lock the gates because of vandalism and people leaving dog mess on the field.

One suggestion was that research should be made to see if there were any covenants attached to the sale of the land to keep it open for the people of Falmouth.

John Jones, a formerward councillor for Trevethan said the Recreation Ground was once "pride of place" in Falmouth.

"I am sure it is public open space," he said.

But Hugh Murton, secretary of Falmouth RFC, told the Packet this week that claims that the ground was public open space was "innuendo and speculation".

"The ground was not given to the people, it was purchased by Falmouth borough council, in 1936, for £4,500 and is, therefore, corporate property.

"The ground is a private sports field and not a public open space as is so often quoted. To have any realistic chance of providing more sporting facilities for the community a larger site is needed both for the playing of rugby and other sports."

Mr Murton claimed the club had four or five developers lined up who were very keen to build on what is a prime "brownfield" site. Plans were being drawn up by one developer and the club to be presented to the district council.

A Falmouth Packet article from June 1936 confirmed Mr Murton's assertion that the ground was sold to the then Falmouth Corporation for £4,500 by Lord Kimberley. He was knocked down from an asking price of £6,000.

In the article councillors were quoted as saying towns such as Falmouth needed open spaces and it should be bought for the sake of the children and the purchase was an absolute necessity.

But, in 1970, the land was sold to Carrick district council who are the current owners. They leased the landto the rugby club for the next 50 years in 1980 with the option to renew once that time was up.