TRUSTEES of a project that will see one of the biggest community asset transfers of land in Wales, believe the transfer is "imminent."

Fears had been raised that the deal was stalling as the signing of the 99 year leases are three months late.

Powys County Council has stressed that this is not the case.

Now known as Open Newtown, the former Going Green for a Living Consortium will receive tenure of around 130 acres of land, to be held in a Community Land Trust.

Earlier this year Open Newtown received  £1.1 million from the Big Lottery to use on the project.

This will be used to turn their vision of managing open spaces more imaginatively into reality.

The deal was supposed to have been signed sealed and delivered in August, with Powys County Council passing the land over to Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council and then to Open Newtown.

But the is are still not dotted and the ts uncrossed with Open Newtown and town council waiting for PCC to finish the legal work.

Stuart Owen, chairman of Open Newtown, said: "It's imminent.

"We've had three solicitors who have signed this off now.

"It has taken time to get all the wording right. It's going to happen, we have no concerns about that.

"My understanding is that the legal officer looking after this for Powys has now gone on maternity leave.

"The hold up is that her workload needs to be reassigned. "

Mr Owen added:  "The Service Level Agreement has been working for several months, since around the time of Newtown Carnival, and we have taken over maintenance of the sports and recreation fields.

"We are spades at the ready!"

Ed Humphreys, Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn town clerk, said: "We have not anticipated any problems, it's just that the agreement has to go through a lot of solicitors and we are just waiting for a final date of completion."

A spokesman for Powys County Council said: "Land negotiations haven’t stalled. We have agreed a lease with the town council and they are sub-leasing to the Going Green for a Living group.

"That has to match the original and that is in progress. The formal handover will follow that."

Projects that  could happen once the lease is formalised include opening up access to the river for paddle sports and fishing, provision of youth facilities; a BMX ‘pump’ track, a greatly improved play park, construction of a Mountain Bike Trail, improved picnic areas, heritage and nature trails and food growing spaces.