''The Ribble Valley Borough Council Community Committee voted to protect the Recreation Ground in Longridge and rededicate it on 11th November 2018, Remembrance Sunday, the 100th Anniversary of the end of the First World War in memory of the Longridge men who died.”

Ribble Valley Council Leader and Dilworth Councillor Ken Hind commented, ''This is an important milestone for Longridge when we re-dedicate the Kestor Lane  recreation ground   and protect it from development for housing or other uses other than recreation. We will be signing a deed with the Fields in Trust organisation formerly known as the National Playing Fields Association who will have the power  to step in and stop developments which change the use of the field from recreation.”

''The Mayor of the Ribble Valley Borough Council  Councillor Stuart Carefoot, councillor for Longridge Derby and Thornley ward will re-dedicate the recreation Ground to be called Centenary Fields as a memorial to those who died.”

''There were real concerns amongst Longridge residents due to attempts 15 years ago to build a Booths supermarket on the site and recently to extend the medical centre on to the field. For the future the Council will own and maintain the field but it will be protected for the recreational use of local residents.”

''At the Community Committee Town Councillor Ashcroft spoke in support of the project on behalf of the Town Council along, with Charles Carefoot and Geoff Carefoot speaking on behalf of residents. The decision of the Committee was unanimous.”

''Investigation have revealed from the  deeds show that the recreation ground  was purchased from William and Albert Sanderson both Longridge butchers by the Urban District Council of Longridge with a loan from the Ministry of Health in May 1926, 8 years after the war ended. It is clear from the deeds that the Ministry must have approved the loan. Following local government reorganisation in 1974 and the creation of the Ribble Valley Borough Council the recreation ground was transferred  to RVBC. Other parts of the land were subject to a land swap between the Co-op and the Urban District Council in 1973.”

''A plaque was put up in 1926 and a  the shelter built at the same time to mark the dedication to the men who died. The plaque has disappeared and the shelter  vandalised and has since been  been demolished..A new memorial will be erected on the site.”

''By taking this action we can make sure the recreation ground will be preserved for the use of future generations This is a way in which we can preserve our sports fields and parks from future demands for development already been done by the Council in Clitheroe and a policy adopted by sporting trusts in other parts of the Ribble Valley. . We need to protect our open spaces. ''