Fellow Hedge Enders

I have been asked to write more on the above subject. I am new to this website and I may have posted a couple of comments in different places, and so forgive me for repeating myself here if you have already read my views. I have however added a couple of points so please read on.

Below are details of how I found out, my opinion and the reaction from 3 councilors that I received last night and today after emailing 6 of them and also Chris Huhne.

How I (and my neighbours) found out..............

This all kicked off yesterday (Fri 16 Apr) when an A4 flyer popped through my front door outlining the proposals, which have been agreed by our town council in principle by a small majority. The flyer was entitled "Gazette. About Hedge End' and was anonymous. My thanks go to whoever took it upon themselves to spend their Friday evening helping their fellow man in this way. The reaction by my neighbours was instant and uniform, everyone was outside calling on each other to discuss this ill conceived idea.

My opinion.................

I have strong concerns regarding the proposed test match parking idea

proposed for Greta Park, Hedge End. I would also like to know why direct

contact was not made with those residents directly affected by these

proposals. Not very good 'change management' practice.

I am no NIMBY (Not

In My Back Yard), however I strongly believe that that council should

reconsider the proposal for the following reasons.

1. It

will deny Hedge End Community the use of the Parks on test match days

2. Greta Park  has poor drainage and cars would  'cut

it up' and cause great damage, denying its use on more days than simply the test

match days to our citizens who use it daily and

sports clubs, both adult and child, who use it mant tiems a week.

3. The council should not support more traffic in Hedge

End centre because is has become a rat run anyway at rush hour and school run times.

4. There would also be the issue of additional polution near childrens playgrounds (on both sites). Especially bad for asthmatics may I add.

5. The

roads concerned (Turnpike Way and Wildern Lane) are key School run

routes for Wildern and Shamblehurst schools (which causes traffic issues

anyway).

6. Bringing crowds of fans miles from the ground

will require even more park and ride buses being utilised, again

congesting and polluting the centre.

7. There is absolutely NO WAY that

Sowden Close should be considered as an access road to Greta Park. It is a cul-de-sac with the only access being via Wildern Lane. It is

narrow, with 90 degree bends and residents already have difficulty getting in

and out sometimes just with normal traffic, and access for delivery and

service vehicles is even harder. If parking restrictions are applied to

the residents on test match days just where does the council suggest residents

park their cars?  Finally the potential denial/restriction of access

for emergency services should not be a risk the council should be

willing to take, or that the residents would

be willing to accept (having spoken to some of them).

8. As a father of 2 young children I believe that those fans that have

been drinking alcohol (potentially all day as some do) should not be brought into

the centre of a village community, and near residential areas.

9. Finally, what will this increase in traffic do for local business. Will people start avoiding shopping in Hedge End when test matches are on....because I would. Any financial incentive that may be on offer might be countered by loss in earning due to people avoiding Hedge End. Would someone like to run the idea past the shopkeepers as well perhaps?

I

believe that more suitable areas  should be found nearer the Rose Bowl

(which after all is on the other side of the motorway to Hedge End),

sites perhaps with direct access from the motorway. There do seem to be plenty of fields around. I am sure that a local farmer would welcome diiversifying his business for a few days a year, or would that cost too much in rent.......are public parks the cheaper option? Call me a cynic however sport thesedays IS big business run by cool headed business people.

Or what about temporary field sites out the back of Hedge End near to the railway station for a park and ride. Whatever other solutions there are, and there must be many, bringing hundreds of cars into a village centre does not seem the most inteligent or foresightful solution. I suggest the first and second order consequences of such a decision be considered before agreeing anything in principle in the future.

In my humble opinion THIS SHOULD BECOME A LOCAL ELECTION ISSUE.

What the councilors have said so far............

Below I have cut and pasted the responses so far.

----------------------------------

Hello Peter,

The proposal from the

Rose Bowl is little more than idea – sadly the Gazette has wound this up

which is unfortunate – and the idea has not been tested with clear proposals

or public consultation.  The Town Council has a duty to seriously consider any

proposals put to it.

I’ll get back to

you with information when I have it but even in the meantime any suggestion

that Sowden Close is used to access the park for any additional activity at all

(this or anything else) is total nonsense.

Best wishes,

Keith House

-----------------------------------------

Dear (full name given)

Thank you for your e-mail on the above subject.

Permission

for this parking was passed, in principle,  (by a small majority), at a

Hedge End Town Council meeting.   However, Test Match status is still

awaited by the Rose Bowl and negotiations and terms and conditions have

still to be agreed.

I will bring up the fact at next week's Town Council's meeting that

I have to date, received nine e-mails, letters and 'phone calls all

strongly objecting to this proposed parking.  I shall stress that I

expect residents most affected to be consulted before a final decision

is taken.

After a discussion  with the Town Clerk, the next step is that a 

decision will be taken at our Finance and Administration Committee

meeting when it is certain that the Test Matches will take place and

more details are available.

The Finance Committee meetings take place on the second Thursday of

the month at 7.00 pm upstairs at the 2000 Centre, St. John's Rd. and I

will let you, and others interested, know when this comes up on the

Agenda.

Yours sincerely

Cllr. Sheila Baynes

--------------------------------

Dear (full name given)

 

Thank you for

your email regarding the Rose Bowl and parking at Greta Park.  This was not an easy decision for Hedge

End Town Council to make and neither was it a unanimous one and there was

considerable debate on both sides of the argument.  Please note that at the moment there is only agreement in principle

and many details need to be worked out.  

 

Other phone

calls and emails have been received by myself and other Councillors on this

issue and we do indeed take all the comments very seriously. I can assure you

that the Town Council will continue to work with the Rose Bowl to manage any

potential disruption as efficiently as possible and we will certainly take into

account your feedback and indeed that from other residents in the

vicinity.

Regards

 

Sally

Lloyds

---------------------

Regards

Pete M