Taking on local government has made me feel like I’m in a Scandi crime drama

As a prep school tries to build over a field, I’m sure there’s something shady going on...

I currently feel as though I’m in an episode of Line of Duty, or one of those Scandi crime dramas where local politics is not as innocuous as it appears. I’m not saying that politicians are in cahoots with criminals, or that law enforcement and big business are exchanging brown paper envelopes... but if they were, we would be none the wiser.

What on earth am I talking about, you may wonder – well, let me fill you in. I’ve lately been battling to try and save a field near my house. It’s a beautiful space, with many mature trees and shrubs. Wild geese stop off there on their travels south; bats have been sighted. It is used daily during the week for sport by the local prep school but they now want to move the whole school there... replacing this green oasis with brick, mortar and 2,000 square metres of AstroTurf. The reason? The school plans to sell their current site in a lucrative deal to build housing, and not the affordable kind. It’s a miracle the private school, like so many schools in the UK, has charitable status.

I’m all for education – in fact, I have spent my career extolling its virtues. The thing is, the prep school is already excellent and they only just finished converting and moving into their latest property acquisition in 2014. If it ain’t broke...