Save Heaton Park from Soccer Centre - this Sunday at 13:00
As may may know, Heaton Park is threatened by a large “soccer centre” which people want to build near the St Margaret’s entrance off Bury Old Road.
I like 5-a-side football, but these proposed pitches are in completely the wrong place in the middle of a park. There’s also going to be an absolute load of them (a dozen football pitches, plus 6 tennis courts, a skate park and a club house), and lots more traffic on an already congested set of streets that people live on. I think a better solution would be for Manchester Council (who own the park) to find a better place for the soccer centre to go, and leave the park alone. It does seem silly to spend a fortune renovating Heaton Park, only to then allow a private company to build a concrete football jungle on it.
The campaign for better local sports facilities in sensible places continues and will go on regardless of what happens with this soccer centre. But the campaign against the proposals is happening right now, and you can be part of it.
The Planning Application has now been received by Manchester Council and will be decided over the summer. Local residents are welcome to send in comments. Full details of the planning application can be found here. This is the Location Plan which shows the area of park which would be converted into the Soccer Centre. This is a more detailed plan which shows the location of all of the pitches, courts and club house.
What can you do:
- Take a look at the local campaign website www.SaveHeatonPark.org.uk - there are some excellent videos which have been uploaded to the site, including what an existing Goals Soccer Centre in London looks like at night when its floodlit.
- Come along to that area of Heaton Park this SUNDAY at 1.00pm for a short “outdoor meeting” of local residents who are opposed to the plans!
- If you’re on Facebook - show your support by joining this new group or sign the petition here.
If we get together we can save Heaton Park.
Rick
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