A Cornwall councillor has decried the appearance of a patch of land in the city on a list of assets for consideration to be sold off by the unitary authority.

Cllr Rob Nolan (Lib Dem, Boscawen & Redannick) claims the land near the Tesco roundabout is important for protecting local properties from noise and pollution.

Cornwall Council has agreed to sell or transfer 2,000 of its assets — including beaches, playing fields, green spaces, chapels and car parks — in a bid to save £2-million over the next year.

Cllr Nolan said: “Last week I was invited to a meeting to discuss selling off some bits of land. Most weren’t controversial, but I was surprised to see the land between the Tesco roundabout and Newham estate on the list.

“This area contains some mature trees that do a very useful job protecting Newham residents from noise and pollution, and provide a much-needed bit of greenery.” He said council officers him there was no longer any money to maintain the area, and there were concerns the trees could fall into the road. “

They weren’t able to produce any evidence from the council’s tree officer to support this, however,” he added. “I’m grateful to the council for being open with this proposal - in the past land has been sold at auction without consultation, with disastrous results for local residents,” he continued. “At least on this occasion, I have an opportunity to consult with local residents and try to find a solution.”

A Cornwall Council spokesperson said a decision had yet to be made.