Debate rages over Lower Shaw Farm

It's so sad that the current council has been behind the sales of many assets since taking power. They have used, rather loosely, the Government guidelines on such orders as best value' to carry out their money-raising in order to keep down council tax as a means of securing votes.

It's shameful to keep disposing of council taxpayers' assets for short-term gain!

Lower Shaw Farm should be kept for the people to whom it was intended, and those people are actually anyone who feels a need to use it.

• Paul F Morse

At a time where learning about sustainable living is so important, closing a facility where we can all learn the basics of how to be more environmentally aware is shameful.

• Kevin Fisher

Lower Shaw Farm is a priceless asset for Swindon

• Ed Ballard

Once gone it will be gone for good. You can't dole out what Lower Shaw Farm offers to Swindon to other sites as if they were assets able to be put in a graph and ticked off. The love and attention to life that has grown up at Lower Shaw over the past few decades is irreplaceable.

• Jo Tyabil

The council needs to listen to popular opinion on this and to think carefully about the impact of a decision which will affect not only those who have their home at Lower Shaw Farm but also those for whom it brings so much pleasure.

• David Manders

That there is value beyond the pounds has got to be recognised. Something that is as rare and precious as Lower Shaw Farm should be nurtured, not sold on.

• Katie Ulrick

I am from Swindon and growing up two of my good friends were Anna and Jake of Lower Shaw Farm. I have many fond memories from the farm from all seasons. They were always welcoming to me and it was a place of relaxation.

I was always amazed at the amount of things that went on at the farm, it was constantly buzzing! Many of us as friends joined in with the events, and when the literature festival came around we donned the brightly coloured t-shirts to promote the event. I was completely stunned to hear that it was up for closure.

Lower Shaw Farm is more than a farm. It's a unique piece of character and history and should be invested in, not taken away!

• Lauren Ton

Lower Shaw Farm is a much needed breath of fresh air for the children of Swindon.

• Nicky Holland

Save Lower Shaw Farm - it is a fantastic place with lots of character. It is a wonderful asset to the local area.

• Clare Trotter

As someone born and bred in Swindon and who lived in the town for nearly 25 years, I often feel compelled to defend the town from snide comments about how little it has to offer. When one of Swindon's most valuable assets is to be taken away, it makes one wonder whether Swindon deserves to be defended after all.

The town's so-called civic-leaders are clearly unable to act in the true interests of the community.

• Simon Brooks

What can they be thinking of? It's much too important to lose.

• Helen Porter

I have only been to Lower Shaw Farm once, and I marvelled at its fascinating location within a whole bunch of houses... If it gets closed, how will others get to experience this wonder? Save the farm!

• Angus Blankenstein

In our modern world, Lower Shaw Farm is a home of honest values and good, outdoor, muddy fun!

This is the Good Life at its best and life's simple pleasures like these should continue to be enjoyed by all.

Perhaps the council should look towards the farm as an opportunity to promote its policies on greener and organic issues and utilise the farm to educate Swindon's residents instead of losing it to further the council's material gain.

• April Thrush

I am absolutely disgusted that the council, which works for us, refuses to acknowledge how much value, joy and pleasure the farm brings to our communities, enhancing the quality of life of those people living in and around the town and bringing people to Swindon.

Why build houses and draw people to Swindon, when there is nothing to do here for these people once they have been built?

• T Kobylec

Lower Shaw Farm is a watershed in the future of Swindon. Dispose of it and we will descend into the **** of concrete jungles like Bracknell where I was born and bred. Keep it and we at least will have a chance of some sense of local and town community. It is the council's choice. Swindon or faceless city?

• Alan Hayward

This is an important area for the local community to go. It should not be sold off for private gain.

This sort of thing is happening far too often around the country. Areas are sold off for a quick financial gain and communities suffer.

• Amanda Peters

It's about time the council realised that value is more than just pounds and pence.

• Sarah Wilmott

The council needs to go back to the drawing board to remind themselves of what best value' is supposed to be about.

It is underpinned by the 4 Cs - Challenge, Consult, Compare, Compete.

They have failed to consult the stakeholders and failed to challenge themselves effectively about how best to provide the service at Lower Shaw Farm. You simply cannot assess the farm purely as a financial asset.

You have to look at non-fiscal wealth that it brings to the community. They have lost touch with the people in Swindon.

• Donna Gray

Community facilities like the farm are a much-needed resource for Swindon residents, particularly the young. I'd rather have my council tax spent on this kind of resource than on plush offices for council officials.

• Mary Gladman

Lower Shaw Farm represents something that is individual, unique and irreplaceable.

Can't the Tories see that to take this away would be a slap in the face for the people of Swindon? Surely we cannot allow this to happen.

Part of the attraction of Lower Shaw Farm is its location. That can never be replaced no matter where it is moved to. Matt Holland is a respected person within our town, a modern father for Swindon who has shaped some of our recent history. This needs to be acknowledged and respected and his base must remain at Lower Shaw Farm.

Please listen and do not just drive this through because you have such a large majority and because you can.

• Ian Howard

When will planning authorities learn that there's more to a community than just houses?

A strong community is one where people feel they belong, where they are stimulated, educated and take pride in their area.

Perhaps some people feel differently, but if I lived in Swindon, I would feel more stimulated, educated and proud if I knew my town had such a jewel as LSF, rather than just another estate of identical houses.

The family who run it are lovely people and committed to widening visitors' horizons and I hope they continue to be able to do so without any watering-down of the community by the council.

• Liam McDonagh-Greaves

I think that destroying such a vibrant centre of learning is despicable.

Will you have us all turn into automatons, with the same life experiences? For goodness sake, wake up and realise you're being ridiculous!

• Emzy Wisker

Join the fight to save Lower Shaw. Visit our Hands Off Lower Shaw campaign section.