Wildern pupil, 13-year-old  Imogen, was one of the 20 or so Hedge End residents attending last night’s Town Council meeting (Wednesday 21 April) to voice opposition to the possibility of Hedge End’s Greta Park and Turnpike Way playing field being used as overflow car-parking for the Rose Bowl (see Hedgeendpeople story ‘Test match parking proposal in Greta Park and Turnpike Way playing fields ‘).

Imogen has organised a petition of teenagers opposed to the idea, in particular over concerns about parking in Upper Norham Road's Greta Park which is greatly used by teenagers, collecting over 500 signatures in two days.

Other issues raised included concerns about: increased traffic and congestion in the town – already causing problems at certain times of the day; potential damage to the grass; that Hedge End is predominantly family-based and the parks are therefore one of the town’s major attractions and should be available 24/7; the possibility of the parks becoming brown-field sites due to the change of use; escalation of use – once one parking event had been allowed it would set a precedent.

In his reply to the comments from the residents Cllr Keith House said that there is currently no ‘proposal’ from the Rose Bowl to use Greta Park and Turnpike Way as overflow parking, only an agreement to discuss the matter. He added that if there is a proposal the council will hold full consultations with the people of Hedge End.

He also said that there was no question of the parks becoming brown-field sites as this is not a planning issue and that two private landowners had come forward offering alternative sites.

Cllr Jane Welsh and Cllr Sally Lloyds both said they had voted against the 9-7 decision at the February Town Council meeting which was reported in the Spring Gazette and has sparked this debate. Both councillors said they would continue to oppose any plans for car-parking on Greta Park or Turnpike Way.

And that’s where the discussion on this issue ended. No dates for further meetings in which the issue will be discussed were given, or any details about next moves on the part of the Rose Bowl or the Town Council.

It seems for the people of Hedge End at the moment it’s a matter of ‘watching this (the Council’s) space’.

If you have views on the possibility of the Rose Bowl Test Cricket car-parking coming to Hedge End’s Greta Park or Turnpike Way, keep posting them on Hedgeendpeople if you’re already engaged in the debate and if not add them now!