Families put the boot into pitch scheme
RESIDENTS are objecting to plans for football pitches behind their homes.
Newcastle Borough Council is in the process of creating three football pitches on the Wammy open space in Knutton, as part of a £500,000 park development.
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ANGER: Andrea Shaw at the Wammy. Picture: Clare Jennings
The pitches have now been levelled and drained, and an application has been lodged for a five-metre high fence running behind houses in St Bernard's Road.
A number of residents in the street, whose properties back on to the Wammy, fear that by turning the land into football pitches, it will not be available for all to use.
They hope by blocking the plans for the fence they will force the council to rethink the plans for the pitches.
Andrea Shaw, of St Bernard's Road, has organised a petition against the scheme.
Ms Shaw, aged 27, said: "Lots of people around here used to use the Wammy.
"Kids would play there and people would use it to walk their dogs. But once these football pitches are there, there will be hardly anything left.
"They're talking about turning one small corner into a play area, but they're just doing that to stop people objecting to the pitches.
"They've already got football pitches in Lower Milehouse, so I don't understand why they need more here."
Other residents in St Bernard's Road shared Ms Shaw's concerns.
Doreen Whetnall, aged 56, said: "In the summer you get loads of families having picnics on the Wammy, but they won't be able to do that if there are people playing football. The kids won't have anywhere to go, so they'll play in the streets."
Keith Brown, aged 52, said: "They've spent a lot of money on the drainage but it doesn't seem like they've done a good job. Half the matches they have there will be cancelled because of the waterlogged pitch."
Ami Leech, aged 19, said: "I don't like the idea of having these fences behind my house. I don't have a great view as it is, but that will make it worse, so I have signed the petition."
The council plans to create two full-size football pitches and a junior pitch.
According to planning documents, the proposed fence will be 120 metres long, but will not interrupt views to the Wammy.
A council spokesman said: "The land will still be public open space, so there will be nothing to stop people walking or playing games.
"We have just finished a consultation where we have asked residents what else they would like to see on the Wammy, such as a children's play area."
The spokesman said the council would wait for the decision on the fence application before considering alternative proposals.
Representations on the application must be sent to the Civic Offices in Merrial Street, Newcastle by Friday.
2 Comments
by Amy, St bernards road
Wednesday, March 03 2010, 6:52PM
“This was the biggest waste of money I have ever heard of. In the summer I took my toddler to play on the wammy constantly and even met up with other families with toddlers. I saw many children playing there and lots of dog walkers. They sprayed the grass with chemicals before they dug it up and didn't tell anyone, I complained as many children were playing on the wammy and I felt that they should have put a sign up to inform people, they did apologise told me it wasn't harmful, but when your child has eczema that does not matter. You only need grass and goalposts to play football and they were already there, during this winter it doesnt seem like the drainage has worked, all this money would have been better spent elsewhere.”
by Ken, Clayton
Wednesday, March 03 2010, 12:59PM
“I lived in Knutton for 20+ years and still have family close to St Bernards Road who i visit daily. Never in my life have i seen anybody having a picnic on the Wammy. It is a rare event when children are seen playing on the Wammy, but a quick drive around St Bernards and you will see children playing in the street. Apart from a fence and a few goal posts i don't see what difference this will make. Did anybody in the street complain when the fair used to turn up every year & create havoc???”