Devon County Council have given the village an opportunity to take over the ownership of Little Bickington Farm now that the present tenancy is at an end.
The County Council are giving the village the opportunity to use the farm and land for the good of the village instead of simply selling it off as development land.
Various possibilities present themselves as a result of this. For example, the village could choose to simply offer a new tenancy to ensure the continuation of Little Bickington as a farm. There are environmental benefits in this as the farm has not been over intensively managed and supports a variety of species such as Skylarks, hares, bats and Barn Owls, that are becomming increasingly scarce on more intensively managed farms. (Of course, such factors as bats and Barn Owls would need to be accounted for should the farm buildings ever be developed).
Other possibilities include using part of the land to build the long awaited new village hall, there-by getting over the problems presently faced by dealing with the developers on the Barton Meadows site.
Other possibilities include a possible future site for a new village school, extensions to the playing field, the creation of new public rights of way over land previously denied of access, (including a new safe route to the Playing Field), a community farm or even 'so-called' low cost housing for first time buyers.