Village Green registered in Abbey Hey, Manchester

Last week Manchester City Council granted an application to register Godfrey Ermen Playing Fields in Abbey Hey, Manchester, as a village green. The Playing Fields were purchased by the Manchester and Salford Playing Fields Society on 24 May 1928. The purchase was funded by the legacy of Peter Godfrey Jacob Ermen, a local philanthropist who died in September 1899.  In July 1931, the Lord Mayor of Manchester presided over the formal opening of the Playing Field, dedicating it “for ever and ever” for the purposes of “healthy and innocent recreation”. Despite the cessation of formal use in the mid 1980s, the local inhabitants of Abbey Hey continued to use the Playing Fields for sports and pastimes in this spirit. The application was heard by an Inspector at a four day inquiry in May 2018. The Inspector’s recommendation to register the Playing Fields was accepted by the Council. Matthew Henderson appeared for the successful applicants.