Fulham resident warns Putneyites of plans for Bishops Park

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with an astroturf pitch in the centre....

Greg Hands MP against the plans

"I wondered if you were able to bring to peoples attention the proposed installation of a flood-lit astro-turf full sized football pitch, being paid for by Fulham Football Club, in the middle of the conservation area.

I personally am horrified at the prospect of our beautiful park being turned in to a training ground for Fulham football club, not only because of the eye-sore it will be, the noise and light pollution it will create, and the increased number of people it will bring to these narrow parking restricted streets, but mainly because it will mean all the people who currently enjoy this field (families, people with dogs, small groups playing football, frisbee, touch rugby etc etc) will no longer be able to use it.

I am all for providing better sports facilities for children in London, but not at the expense of the enitre community - especially not when it's being paid for by the football club. Surely the Conservation Act is in place precisely to prevent this sort of obtrusive development? I would not be allowed to install modern windows because of this Act, yet the council can destroy an entire public field? Would it not be possible to paint white lines on the grass and put up goalposts, and then invite the community groups to use it (not the privatly funded football club!). With the money saved patches of worn turf could regularly be replaced.

There has also been a considerable amount of displeasure with the council at their lack of consultation with the local community. Only the people who live on Stevenage Road and who will be directly affected by the flood lights were informed, even our local councillors had to be told by members of the public. There was only one copy of the planning application put up outside 1 exit and it was left to regular users of the park to publicise what you were planning ...it wasn't mentioned in their own magazine! The land was I believe donated to the community many years ago, yet the community have not been consulted about what they plan to do with it.

I would be gratefull if you could print this letter, and also the web address where the public can find further details of the plans, and how to email their comments on them. The web address is http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/index3.htm and they will need the application number which is 2005/02135/FUL.

Yours sincerely, Janet Drew

Inglethorpe Street, Fulham




Hands: �Save Bishop�s Park!�

Hammersmith & Fulham MP Greg Hands and Conservative Group Leader, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, are calling for the Labour Council to scrap plans to create a 100 metres x 64 metres Astroturf area and fenced off border zone in Bishop�s Park.


The plans, which would be part of a joint venture between the Labour Council and Fulham Football Club, would see the large open, grass playing field popular with local residents, covered over with an artificial, all-weather surface with 15 metre high floodlights. The scheme would provide �football in the community� and an all-weather pitch to be used in the evening hours, next to Fulham FC itself.

Residents and park users are encouraged to look at the plans for themselves on the Council�s website, planning application number 2005/02135/FUL.

Under the proposal, the large open space would be covered in Astroturf to provide three football pitches to provide �community facilities� and the park would then be leased to the Football Club by the Council. Eight 15 metre high floodlight columns would tower over the new ground.


A large part of the sports area would also be gated off entirely. The new ground would be at arms length from the Club through a charitable trust.


The shocking plans have been the subject of secret negotiations with the Council since the start of the year.


Local Conservative MP, Greg Hands, said: �I was amazed when the scheme was explained to me. Hammersmith & Fulham has the smallest area of open space of any London Borough. We should be creating more green spaces, not paving over the ones we already have! I urge the Council and the Club to think again on this, and save Bishop�s Park.�

Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh is also opposed to the plan: �We definitely need more youth provision in Fulham, but the answer cannot be to lease off our public parks. I am hoping that the Council and the Club will withdraw this crazy scheme as soon as possible.�

October 10, 2005