Dear Sir,
With reference to your article in the Newton News dated 31st August ‘School Playing Fields Under Threat’, I would like to highlight several points.
1. The former Avenue field is used regularly by dog walkers as you have stated. However, it is also used by children to play cricket and football, ride their bikes and play as children play. People also walk, jog and run on the field and generally enjoy the open space.
2. At a GATC meeting, both DCC and GATC said the other was responsible for deciding how the land is to be used and/or developed.
3. At the same meeting, DCC said that the land was now not classed as recreational as it had been fenced off.
I have spoken to DCC on several occasions explaining that this land has not been fenced off and has had regular access for over 20 years. Our neighbours (who have lived in Defoe Crescent for many years) have asked SBC and then DCC if they could buy some of the land to extend their gardens. This request has always been refused on the grounds that it is ‘recreational’ land.
They (SBC and then DCC) seem to be able to pick and chose how the land is designated to suit their own purposes. I am aware that you have been present at these meetings and have heard the same information above. However, as this is ‘in our back yard’, we do have a vested interest but do not seem to be able to get a straight answer on future development of the land from either GATC or DCC.
I await the Preferred Options report on the plan and hope this will shed some light on this issue.
Katie Flanagan
Defoe Crescent
