Objections needed to protect remaining green space at Packers Field

bristol | community | news report Sunday August 31, 2008 17:08 by Packers Field

Despite recently signing a Community Use Agreement (CUA) that recognises free, informal use of Packers Field in Whitehall, the City Academy (in conjunction with Bristol City Council) have a submitted an application for a 6 lane artificial athletics facility with floodlights. If built, the remaining half of the field open to informal use will be lost and the CUA will be effectively meaningless. It is possible to formally object to the planning application (see below), and we are urging as many people as possible to do so. It only takes 5 minutes to object online, and the more objections received the greater the chances of stopping this development. The people of Whitehall and nearby areas have little enough green space, without it being taken away for private development.

The latest threat to Packers Field is from a proposal to build an athletics facility on the site.This will comprise a 6 lane artificial running track, throwing and jumping spaces facilities, storage area and floodlighting. The facility is to be fenced off and will take up over half the space of the field.

The Council and the Bristol City Academy (who have control of Packer’s Field as tenants) recently signed a Community Use Agreement (“CUA”) that clearly recognises that the field “is used by members of the Local Community as a green space” and that they consent “to the use of the Site at all times for this purpose.” The CUA was a condition of the planning consent for Packers Field and was welcomed by local people who have fought hard to maintain free, informal use of Packers.

The CUA also fairly states that “the informal site users will not interfere with formal sporting activities taking place on pitches, but that this will not prevent informal activities taking place on other parts of the field.” However, if the running track goes ahead there will be no “other parts of the field.” It will all be fenced off! The Academy and the Council have always made it clear they were interested in building an athletics facility. The proposed development highlights their cynicism in signing the CUA. Perhaps they were simply meeting a planning condition and not really interested in public access? Allowing the public to use the Field is very generous until you realise that it is either formal pitches or a fenced off athletics facility. No “green space” will be left for the public to use informally.

The council and Academy have implied that the development is a partnership with Bristol and West Athletics Club to justify its construction. However, BWAC are not formally involved in the proposal and there is no consensus view within the club. BWAC currently use an excellent athletics facility in Filton and could continue to do so. The proposed facility at Packers would not be of competition standard, so ironically BWAC will still have to travel to compete! As a result there are some within the club itself who oppose the Packers plan. Where is the sense in a facility that will rob people of valuable green space and fail to meet the needs of its proposed users?

Importantly, the proposal also includes high-powered floodlighting so it can be used at night. This might be detrimental to residents living near to the field.

Opposing this development does not make us “anti-sport”. We propose that a high-quality athletics facility should be built on a brownfield site or green space large enough to properly accommodate it. Alternatively, the current Filton facility could be upgraded and expanded to its full potential. Inner city green space should not be sacrificed for this project.

http://e2eweb.bristol.gov.uk/PublicAccess/tdc/DcApplica....aspx

and entering the application reference number 08/03176/F. Make sure you click on the object button in the section marked “Your Comments”, and explain the reasons behind your objection. Objections must be submitted by 12 September.

Alternatively, email the planning officer Martin Seaton (martin.seaton@bristol.gov.uk) stating your objection and the reasons for it, or write to him at

Brunel House
St George's Road
Bristol
BS1 5UY

You can also attend the council planning meeting on the 24th September that will decide on the outcome of this application. You should be notified of the time of this meeting if you submit an objection, or you can contact the planning officer Martin Seaton on 0117 922 2964.

Map of proposed development 0.1 Mb