Council Puts Roehampton Playing Fields Plans On Hold
To allow a community group to put together their proposal to manage the facility
At Wednesday evening’s (6 December) Council meeting Wandsworth’s deputy leader and cabinet member for community services Cllr Jonathan Cook announced that local residents would be given the chance to get involved in planned improvements at the playing fields.
He said that the local community would now have an opportunity over the coming months to work through options on management proposals for the 12 acre site.
image @ Stuart King 2010
Cllr Cook said,“The overarching aim is to provide better facilities for local schools, sports clubs and community groups. The site is popular and well used but does need investment to upgrade its facilities. We recently published proposals that would have secured substantial improvements funded by a private sector partner in exchange for a fixed period lease on the land.
“Some local residents and community groups told us they were not happy with these proposals and asked us to consider alternative plans including letting the local community take over the day to day running of the playing fields.
“We have listened very carefully to what they’ve said and agree they should be given this opportunity. This means we will offer local people and groups the professional advice and help they need to provide the kind of high quality sports and training facilities that meet the needs of local schools and sports clubs in the years ahead.”
The current proposals for the site will now be paused pending the outcome of this community initiative.
Speaking for the Roehampton Playing Fields Campaign group, Sarah Wilton, said,"This is a very positive move by Wandsworth Council and a welcome recognition of the strength of feeling that has been shown by residents and users of the playing fields. We agree with the Council that the overarching aim must be to provide better facilities for local schools, sports clubs and community groups. We particularly welcome the commitment by the council to offer local people and groups the professional advice and help they need to provide the kind of high quality sports and training facilities that meet the needs of local schools and sports clubs in the years ahead. We will certainly be taking them up on that offer.
Sarah continued,"The six month pause that has been announced now gives us the chance to set out plans to turn these playing fields into a much more inclusive space able to cater for the whole community - sporting clubs, schools and residents alike. We plan to embark on an intensive programme of work to enable us to fully understand the needs of users and potential users of the facility as well as the wider impact on the wider community. Our aim is to draw up a fully costed plan and vision for this vital community asset. We will also be looking to create a suitable charitable vehicle to implement that vision.
This is an exciting project for our community that we hope will demonstrate just how much can be achieved when the council works collaboratively with a local community to implement shared objectives.”
December 8, 2017