Fears playing fields will be lost to homes

There are fears the only playing fields in the north of Newark could be lost, never to be replaced.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is consulting on the future of Lincoln Road playing fields, as part of a proposed improvement scheme for Bridge Ward, including the Yorke Drive estate.

Competitive football is played at Lincoln Road playing fields but the council has allocated the site for housing.

Residents could air their views during a workshop at Bridge Community Centre on Wednesday of last week.

Mr Paul Baggaley, secretary of Newark Sports Association, said more people were beginning to pay attention to the potential loss.

“People are beginning to take notice and realise how important this is,” he said.

“When asked for suggestions, people were saying they could put a bit of a café area for people who go dog walking and play football.

“If people had been asked if they wanted more houses to go there I don’t think a single hand would have been raised.”

The council’s finance and policy committee discussed the potential for regeneration of the Yorke Drive estate, which borders the playing fields, and wider Bridge Ward on Thursday.

A report said the playing fields were used for junior-level games on Saturday mornings by Fernwood Foxes.

There was also evening training, when light permitted, and informal summer activities, but otherwise, according to the report, the area was little used for sport or leisure.

Mr Baggaley said once the playing fields were gone they would be lost forever, and he was concerned that contradicted what governing bodies such as Sport England were trying to achieve.

“If they do end up trying to lose some of the playing fields, I think they are going to get a bit of resistance,” he said.

“Sport England’s newest guidelines dictate that if you are going to lose playing fields they should be replaced with equal or better before a bid is put in.

“We do have the new YMCA sports village (off Bowbridge Road) being built, but that’s not necessarily going to help people living near Lincoln Road.

“Sport England research tells that people on low incomes on average will only travel 700m to their nearest sports facility.

“In terms of where we should be, Newark is massively under provided for in terms of sporting facilities.”

The district council report acknowledges there would be little point in putting forward a planning application for the playing fields without first securing Sport England’s agreement.

Another consultation on the future of Bridge Ward takes place at Bridge Community Centre a week tomorrow (3pm to 7pm) and a week on Saturday (10am to 1pm).

No appointments are needed, and those attending can meet members of the district council’s regeneration team and the architects, to see potential options being considered for improvements to the area.

A council spokesman said: “Plans and proposals being shown at the exhibition are for discussion and consultation purposes only.

“No decisions have been made and the district council will continue to keep Yorke Drive estate residents fully up-to-date as to how the proposals will develop.

“Yorke Drive estate residents have already taken part in two workshops since May. Important feedback from residents attending both workshops has been collated and is being fed into the ongoing master planning process.”