NEW PLANS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
Following a meeting on Saturday between the Club and local Politicians revised plans have been submitted to the City Council and are available to view online via the planning portal. Once again, residents have NOT been consulted – the public were not invited to the meeting and the resulting plans only contain minor adjustments to appease the planners. None of the changes are in the interest of residents, or users of the area.
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
The all weather pitch has been moved out of the area designted as of ‘Special Biological importance’.
The number of pitches has been reduced from 8 to 7.
A larger section of the pathway will be maintained before it is re-routed behind the clubhouse.
The second two of these are merely a result of the first. Essentially the new plans are WORSE for local residents. The all weather pitch is now closer to Chorltonville, bringing light and noise pollution with it. It is also more exposed to Redland Crescent. We have also had notice that the all weather pitch will be in use until 10pm EVERY WEEK NIGHT, and until 5pm at the weekends.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? We will now enter into another 14 day period of consultation. The council will be writing to residents, and anybody who has written a letter of objection to inform them of the changes.
WHAT CAN WE DO ? During these 14 days, we need to write to Dave Morris at the planning department again. All objections previously sent will stand. HOWEVER IT IS VITAL THAT WE WRITE AGAIN! The issues remain the same – the development will change the character of the area irreparably, bringing with it noise and light pollution until 10 pm every night. Use of the all weather pitch seven days a week will have a major impact in the area.
We see this revision of the plans as a ploy by the developers to appease the planners. So we have to let them know that these changes do nothing to make the development more acceptable. Please write to Dave Morris at the following address: Dave Morris (Case Officer), Manchester City Council Planning, PO Box 463, Town Hall, Manchester M60 3NY
or email it to: d.morris@manchester.gov.uk
QUOTE PLANNING REFERENCE: 091081
THE ALL WEATHER PITCH
This is clearly a commercial development. The all weather pitch will be rented out to other clubs, and local schools to generate an income for the developers and the club. Therefore should this element of the plan NOT receive permission, the whole scheme may not be financially viable.
This pitch is also the achilles heel of the proposals AND the most controversial element. The site report states that the preferred method of construction for the all weather pitch involves ‘removal of the loose and very loose landfill materials’. It is our understanding (as stated by Rob Turley in front of a group of residents) that hardcore will then be brought in to level the area.
The site report goes on to say: ‘Solmek recommend that the client adopt mini piled foundations for any floodlighting.’ This will involve further disturbance and removal of potentially toxic waste. This waste is, as stated by the site report (section 10.2), is potentially harmful via ‘inhalation of volatised compounds (dust)’. Site workers are advised to wear protective clothing (section 7.24), and ‘access to the public should be limited’. The site report does not include residents as potential receptors of these volatised compounds. It lists receptors as (among others), construction workers, and ‘Users of surrounding sites – predominantly open land’. Last time I looked, the site was flanked on two sides by houses with gardens backing directly onto the area. If construction workers are considered to be at risk, we too as residents are also at risk. However we are not acknowledged as such by the site report. The ‘removal of loose and very loose landfill materials’ to construct the all weather pitch will place users, and residents at risk.
Please focus your letter on these issues, especially on the all weather pitch.
THE REVISED PLANS: Click here to download a revised plan. Click here to visit the planning portal, and see all the new documents.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that we all take the time to write to Dave Morris again regarding this revision of plans. Your new letter can reiterate all the objections of your first letter, and point out that these new revisions are WORSE for residents and users of the meadows alike. Details where to write to:
Dave Morris (Case Officer), Manchester City Council Planning, PO Box 463, Town Hall, Manchester M60 3NY
or email it to: d.morris@manchester.gov.uk
QUOTE PLANNING REFERENCE: 091081
DETAILS OF NEW PLANS…
New plans were presented to Local Politicians at a meeting on Saturday 17th October. These plans have been submitted to the City Council and are available to view online via the planning portal. Once again, residents have NOT been consulted – the public were not invited to the meeting and the resulting plans only contain minor adjustments seemingly to appease the planning committee. None of the changes are in the interest of residents, or users of the area.
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- The all weather pitch has been moved out of the area designted as of ‘Special Biological importance’.
- The number of pitches has been reduced from 8 to 7.
- A larger section of the pathway will be maintained before it is re-routed behind the clubhouse.
The second two of these are merely a result of the first. Essentially the new plans are WORSE for local residents. The all weather pitch is now closer to Chorltonville, bringing light and noise pollution with it. It is also more exposed to Redland Crescent. We have also had notice that the all weather pitch will be in use until 10pm EVERY WEEK NIGHT, and until 9pm on Saturday, and 8pm on Sunday. This is totally unacceptable.
We have had full assurances from all attendees of the meeting that they are still opposing the plans. Both Lib Dem and Labour representatives regularly attend our residents meetings.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? We will now enter into another 14 day period of consultation. The council will be writing to residents, and anybody who has written a letter of objection to inform them of the changes. You should receive your letter in the coming days (today being 21st October). The developers are keen to see a decision on November 19th (UPDATE 11th Nov – this has now been deferred to December 17th), in order to apply for funding from the Football Foundation in January.
WHAT CAN WE DO? During these 14 days, we need to write to Dave Morris at the planning department again. The relevant parts of all objections already received by Dave Morris will still stand. HOWEVER IT IS VITAL THAT WE WRITE AGAIN! The issues remain the same – the development will change the character of the area irreparably, bringing with it noise and light pollution until 10 pm every night. Use of the all weather pitch seven days a week will have a major impact in the area, and it is now closer to houses.
We see this revision of the plans as a ploy by the developers to appease the planning department. So we must let them know that these changes do nothing to make the development more acceptable to us, the community this development is so arrogantly aimed at. Please write to Dave Morris at the following address: Dave Morris (Case Officer), Manchester City Council Planning, PO Box 463, Town Hall, Manchester M60 3NY or email it to: d.morris@manchester.gov.uk
Quote planning ref: 091081
THE ALL WEATHER PITCH
This is clearly a commercial development. The all weather pitch will be rented out to other clubs, and local schools to generate an income for the developers and the club. Therefore should this element of the plan NOT receive planning permission, the whole scheme may not be financially viable.
This pitch is also the achilles heel of the proposals AND the most controversial element. The site report states that the preferred method of construction for the all weather pitch involves ‘removal of the loose and very loose landfill materials’. It is our understanding (as stated by Rob Turley in front of a group of residents) that hardcore will then be brought in to level the area.
The site report goes on to say: ‘Solmek recommend that the client adopt mini piled foundations for any floodlighting.’ This will involve further disturbance and removal of potentially toxic waste. This waste is, as stated by the site report (section 10.2), a potential contaminant via ‘inhalation of volatised compounds (dust)’. Site workers are advised to wear protective clothing (section 7.24), and ‘access to the public should be limited’. The site report does not include residents as potential receptors of these volatised compounds. In section 7.16 it lists receptors as (among others), construction workers, and ‘Users of surrounding sites – predominantly open land’. Last time I looked, the site was flanked on two sides by houses with gardens backing directly onto the area! If construction workers are considered to be at risk, we too as residents and users of the area are also at risk. However we are not acknowledged as such by the site report. The ‘removal of loose and very loose landfill materials’ to construct the all weather pitch will place users, and residents at risk. There have been a number of mentions of asbestos, including one here…
Please focus your letter on these issues, especially on the all weather pitch.
THE REVISED PLANS: Click here to download a revised plan. Click here to visit the planning portal, and see all the new documents. Planning ref: 091081
