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Historic buildings at a Swansea farm should be opened up to the public rather than being "lost for private housing", according to the leader of the opposition.

Councillor Chris Holley publicly attacked plans to restore and redevelop Home Farm at Singleton Park.

He said: "We feel that early intervention is essential to make sure that all of Swansea's largest park remains in public ownership."

He claimed his Liberal Democrat-Independent group has had an emergency motion turned down by the Labour administration ahead of a full council meeting on April 25.

Cllr Holley said the motion would have said that Home Farm had a number of listed buildings, although he accepts now there is in fact only one - the former farmhouse - plus other old buildings.

"Our motion would have asked that the council investigates the possibility of these (historic) buildings being used by the public, and generating revenue for the public, rather than being lost to private housing," he said.

He said Labour was "riding roughshod over public opinion and closing its mind to innovative solutions to the future use of Home Farm" by rejecting the motion.

But council leader Rob Stewart said emergency motions were assessed by the council's chief legal officer against strict criteria.

"It is not a political decision," he said.

Cllr Stewart also accused the Lib-Dems of "attempting to confuse the much-needed restoration and redevelopment of Home Farm and use this for political purposes".

Cabinet agreed last week to seek a joint venture partner to take forward the plan to restore the old farmhouse and some other buildings at the site - currently a council depot with limited public access - as part of a 42-home development.

Some of the properties would be new, and a proportion of the overall scheme would be affordable housing.

Council chiefs remain adamant that none of the surrounding park land would be lost.

Cllr Stewart said a "myth-busting" page was being added to the council's website, and warned at the cabinet meeting that any councillors who sought "to make political capital" out of the Home Farm proposal would be challenged.

The plan is that Home Farm would remain in the council's ownership, and any agreement with a developer could yield capital and revenue payments to the authority.

But Sketty Lib-Dem councillors Mike Day and Cheryl Philpot said they felt the administration's consultation has been "lacking" so far, and ward members had found out about the proposal through the media.

“It is very clear from the comments from residents we have received that contact that there are major concerns about the proposal," said Cllr Day.

Cllr Philpott added: "Large parts of the park are already being used by Singleton Hospital and Swansea University, and the council has already agreed that the university have control of the Swiss Cottage and more areas of the park."

Swansea and Gower Lib-Dems have agreed to launch a petition and campaign to ensure that the widest possible consultation takes place. They are also tabling a non-emergency motion for the next full council meeting after April 25.

In response to the concerns, Cllr Stewart said: "The Lib-Dems should support the restoration of our historic buildings.

"Redevelopment of the council compound at Home Farm will return this site to public use while avoiding any impact on Singleton Park."

Referring to the non-emergency motion being tabled, he added: "We would welcome the opportunity to debate the matter and to put to bed the myths and misinformation about the restoration of building at Home Farm.

"It will also give us a chance to remind people that the Lib-Dems along with the Tories were the architects of austerity and service cuts while in Government, and remain responsible for the decimation of local services across the UK."