Pages Field - Residents involvement

Today is the last day for the District Council to receive objections to the application.

I have had a great response from local residents via email, the blog and in person and it really is appreciated to know that what I am doing is the right thing for others in the town. I have had responses from people all over the ward, not just those backing on to it.

Incidentally if anyone does see me in the street on my bike (silver bike, black helmet) please do stop me. I try to visit a different area of the ward every week or so but I guess in this weather some people might just think I am a strange person out on a bike!

There was a covenant on Pages Field (image attached) from 1978 that would prevent the council from selling it and this was bought to my attention from a Weston Avenue resident but sadly WAS is the important word as the covenant was dated for only 21 years which has since past but I have attached it now as it does show the spirit in which this land should be used.

Also a letter from the Council to another Weston Avenue resident from September acknowledges that there is a "shortage of playing fields" and clubs are continually being asked to provide more facilities.

The letter, signed by our Town Clerk and neighbour, Pat Kingsnorth, explains that disposing of Pages Field could answer this question and lead to developments elsewhere but of course any central land will be of more value as a building plot and hence force the sports facilities to the edge of town.

It states that Pages Field is of poor quality, is on a slope and prone to flooding. I have been there on a Sunday and together with residents of The Vines have collected details of the clubs using the field almost every week and while it may not be the best quality of land it is a much used public asset that is wanted by our towns voters.

The town council can see no way forward, it is up to us now to show the support for the field and I have also contacted footballing organisations to look at ways to show support and even help financially to improve the changing facilities and drainage works the town council have said the field needs.

This is not the end and I hope that with the dedication Weston Avenue and The Vines homeowners have shown we can get the decision that the people want and not what the councillors living miles away want!

Pages Field to be developed?

Certain members of the Town Council have discretely applied for planning permission to build on Pages Field. They have though since issued a press release with more spin than a frisbee! However a lot of the discussion and decisions to do this were purposely kept out of the public view for fear of reprisal.

I promised to fight the sale and development of this land and I am sticking to this and all promises made. I have been meeting with local resident groups recently and I would like to invite you ALL to the District Council Offices where the planning application will be discussed and I will let you know the date as soon as it is announced.

Hopefully it will be denied permission but that does not stop the Council selling it.

Cllr Steve Owen wants to use the money to build a 120 acre site elsewhere in the town which I believe to be at the far end of Stanbridge Road, barely even in the town. This would mean that people would invariably need to drive to the site creating more congestion.

I do not believe the town needs or wants one or two big sites but small patches in the heart of the community where it becomes a personal and neighbourly space for sports and recreation. A kick about near home is the only practical option for our residents wanting to enjoy themselves. Not everyone wants to join a team or be a professional.

When a 10 year old and his friends want to play outside instead of sitting by a TV, it is better to walk a few minutes around the corner to a safe local site overlooked by residents than have to either cycle, be driven or walk for a long time to an “out of town” sports centre.

If this proposed area is at the end of Stanbridge Road, there will be access problems for pedestrians and cyclists making the car essential to use our sporting facilities.

So now you need your car to play football. Well please don’t misunderstand this as flippancy, it is not, this is a very serious problem but a car is no good in a game of football Cllr Owen – It only has one boot!