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Petition to stop controversial Elm Avenue development fails as it is presented to Newark and Sherwood District Council meeting




A petition aimed at stopping the controversial development of land known as The Stadium, Elm Avenue, Newark, has failed.

The petition was presented to Newark and Sherwood District Council by resident campaigner Paul Baggaley.

He said the council would benefit in hard cash, while the community would pay the real price.

Elm Avenue road sign.
Elm Avenue road sign.

There are plans to build nine homes on the sports field where the town was given facilities by a former mayor.

A campaign was launched to save the site from development, including a protest outside the gates.

In presenting the petition, Mr Baggaley said he had played on the sports ground since the age of 16.

Secretary of Newark Sports Association, Paul Baggaley.
Secretary of Newark Sports Association, Paul Baggaley.

“The stadium is a part of Newark’s history,” he said.

“I have friends and family in the area who benefited from the local parks and playing fields. I want children to have access to a patch of grass to stay fit and healthy, and older residents to walk in the open space near their homes.

“When the application was considered, members were not informed that the old BMX track was also to be lost.

“The decision benefits the council in hard cash but the community will pay the price. We call on the council to quash the application.”

Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Newark and Sherwood District Council.

In response, council leader David Lloyd said the council had considered green spaces in great detail.

“There has been consultation with residents over several years,” he said .

“But this request is too late. While I am grateful for the views of petitioners, discussions regarding relocation to the YMCA have been discussed for years.

“The Elm Avenue site has not been used for over five years.

“We have swapped a fenced-off and not-used site with a wonderful new and nationally significant community and activity village, in addition to delivering a new cricket pitch.

“We had the opportunity to do something really quite special and that’s what we have done.

“The money from the sale of Elm Avenue is being directly put back into development.”

Mr Lloyd said he understood people’s attachment to the site but the reality was that the council replaced it with something immeasurably better.

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