DETERMINED residents have vowed to save a treasured community space in a Victorian cemetery at the top of Stroud.

Stroud District Council has announced plans to sell the land around the chapel in Bisley Road cemetery, which has expansive views of the town and beyond and is a favourite spot for people of all ages.

Although SDC released a notice, dated April 17, of its intention ‘to dispose of this area of open land’, its plans are to auction the chapel and the Tarmaced area around it together as one lot.

After residents heard of the plans, a meeting was arranged for Monday night and around 100 people attended to show support for keeping the ‘vital community space’ in public ownership.

One of them, Frances-Clark Stone, who has lived in the area for 22 years, said: “I am shocked and unhappy to learn of the plan to sell the Tarmac area around the cemetery.

“Children learn to ride their bikes there, as it is one of the few flat stable surfaces in the area.

"Teenagers hang out there, causing no trouble.

“It’s used by so many people - families constantly play there, couples sit and enjoy the view.

"We’ve watched numerous sunsets from there.

“It is a vital community space.”

As the chapel is a Grade II listed building, whoever takes it on must undertake to carry out essential repairs and ongoing maintenance.

Stroud Town Councillor Lucas Shoemaker said if there is a strong enough will in the community to develop the site, the authority may look at taking it on from the district council.

“There’d be no point in the town council taking the site on unless there’s people in the community willing to get behind it," he said.

“But now the community has stepped up, with around 100 people coming along to Monday’s meeting, which is absolutely brilliant.

“Next we’ve got to look at going forward and see if we can make it stick.”

Alena Dollimore, chair of the Friends of Daisy Bank committee said a lack of money to spend on the restoration and upkeep of the chapel was the main issue.

She said: “The district council does not have a viable use for the building and could not justify spending money on it.

“They offered it to the town council, who need to make sure there is a community benefit to any money they spend.

“Labour costs can sometimes be as much as the materials in a building project.

“But we think as a community we could really make a difference by working with both councils and doing some of the physical work ourselves.

“We are holding a meeting at the Crown and Sceptre on Thursday at 8pm, to talk about ways forward.

“We’re hoping members of the community will come forward to contribute time and skills to carry out some of the work, and to get involved generally.”

Stroud District Council has said it is willing to listen to alternative proposals for the site from the community.

An SDC spokesman said: “We wish to see the Grade II Listed building refurbished and brought back into use, so intend selling it and the Tarmac area around it by auction as one lot.

“The access route for the Town Council around the upper part of the chapel will not be affected and remains a permanent benefit for the Town Council as owner of the surrounding land.

“A public notice for the cemetery, Bank Gardens, Sims Clock and the chapel was run in local media two years ago, and we published an updated notice recently because of the two year time lapse - this gives the public the opportunity to make their views known.

“We have confirmed with concerned members of the community that we are willing to meet with them and all interested parties so that their views can be considered.”

Town councillors considered taking on the chapel back in 2017, when they explored possible uses for it and commissioned a feasibility study looking at the cost of purchasing the building, carrying out essential repairs and converting it for community use.

But following a public consultation, the Town Council decided not to purchase the chapel as the costs were too high.

Town mayor Kevin Cranston said: “We firmly believe that the chapel is an important part of the town’s heritage, but at the time of our consultations, there was limited appetite from local residents for converting the chapel for community use.

"We will be supporting Stroud District Council with a public meeting to hear the community’s concerns about the implications of the proposed sale."