LOWER EARLEY residents continue to ask questions about the 3G sports pitch proposed for Maiden Erlegh School.
The questions heard at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council on Thursday, January 19, were submitted before the council announced it was proposing to halt work on the plans. A vote on this will be taken at the executive meeting held on Thursday, January 26. If approved, it will see the council explore a borough-wide playing pitch strategy.
First was a question about noise from a bottle bank caused it to be removed from a site in Kilnsea Drive, Lower Earley, as it was just 22 metres away from the nearest home, and lasted just three months.
At a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council held on Thursday, January 19, resident Sandra Smith wanted to know how many complaints were needed to get it removed.
“The bottle bank was well used,” Cllr Ian Shenton, the executive member for environment, sport and leisure, adding that just a single complaint was received. “Work is under way to locate another site in the Earley area.”
Ms Smith said that residents were concerned about noise pollution that the 3G pitch would generate, adding that the site should be removed from planned strategy.
“It is just too near housing, and the prospect of their quality of life being ruined is causing people significant distress.”
Cllr Shenton said: “At this stage, that wouldn’t be something we can do, otherwise it wouldn’t be a completely independent review.”
Next, a resident wanted to know if Wokingham Borough Council planned public consultation about change was “a ruse to push through policy decisions already formed by the governing body”.
David Portus asked the question to Cllr Clive Jones, the leader of the council, at a meeting held on Thursday, January 19.
Cllr Jones said local authorities had a statutory obligation to consult on issues, and it was an important part of the council’s decision-making process.
“I can assure you that actively seeking out and listening to residents and others’ views is not a ruse – it is at the heart of our political ethos,” he said.
Mr Portus said he had taken part in two consultations. One on waste collections prevented “any discussion on maintaining weekly bin collections”, and the other on the Maiden Erlegh 3G pitch. He said: “The existing 3G pitch was being operated in breach of the planning conditions set by the council.”
Cllr Jones said: “It is only right and proper that when other issues are raised during consultations that we consider them as well.”
Nancy Badoo asked about the height of the proposed pitch and what it would do for residents overlooking it.
Cllr Shenton said the proposals had been worked on by the previous administration, and a consultation “highlighted some unsatisfactory aspects”, and this means he will recommend to his fellow executive members that work on the proposal should cease.
Ms Badoo said the issue of height had been left out of the technical appraisal published in September last year, and whether that meant it was flawed. Cllr Shenton simply said, “Yes”.
Karen Brown felt the pitch would be a blight on the neighbouring residents. Cllr Shenton referred her to his previous answer.
Responding, Ms Brown said it would lead to 42 hours of negative health impact a week on the residents, and the over 50s who lived near the school are most at risk of heart attacks. Their gardens would go from being areas of rest and relaxation to a health risk.
“The project is no longer proceeding at this point,” Cllr Shenton said, promising the new playing pitch strategy would be completed by the summer.
Elizabeth Newman questioned the environmental aspect of a 3G pitch, to which Cllr Shenton pointed out that “almost every aspect of human activity has some environmental damage”, and officers were searching for more details of the environmental costs of grass against 3G pitches.
Jeremy Evershed wanted an update on the number of teams in the borough, which was estimated at 500. Cllr Shenton said this was something that would be explored in the review.
And Judith Clark said there were 33 teams from two clubs that would use most of the slots available for the 3G pitch.
She asked: “How will the hundreds of teams not presented with a brand new million pound plus 3G pitch feel about the lucky 33, and won’t the Council be under extreme pressure to fund many more 3G pitches for the rest of them?”
Cllr Shenton referred her to his previous comments.
