Residents interrupt meeting to register their fury
Goodwood Field in Sale
Plans by town hall bosses to rent out a seven-acre green field in Sale to a charity that intends to build a community centre there have sparked an angry backlash from residents.
People living near Goodwood Field attended an executive meeting of Trafford council last night (December 1), and shouted at members, saying their concerns around what they claim would be dangerous congestion and nuisance parking had been ‘dismissed’.
As she left the meeting resident Sue Yarker said: “This issue means a lot to us and you’ve dismissed everything that’s been said.”
The row centres around a proposal to rent out land on the Sale West Estate on a 25-year lease.
Some people living near the site say there are already enough community centres in the area and that another would add to problems around increased traffic and parking in the area.
Currently, the site is home football club Sale Spartans and under the plans the club’s two pitches will remain and would have access to new changing facilities at the new building
A report to the executive described how the charity specialising in diversity – the Three Meem Foundation – has grown rapidly since its foundation in 2018 and now delivers 50 different programmes across six rented facilities in Sale.
Deputy leader of the council and executive member for economy and regeneration, Liz Patel, told the meeting the proposal was for a ‘new, modern fit-for-purpose community space in Sale West’.
She said: “Three Meem are a trusted community partner in Trafford with a significant track record of delivering non-faith community support across Sale. But we know many residents have genuine questions around their activities.
“There would be a new sports hall, and new changing facilities.”
She said the executive’s decision in favour of the plan was ‘just the first step’ and that any proposals for the development of the site would be subject to community consultation and scrutiny through the planning process, where issues relating to parking, design and usage would be determined.
Local councillor for Manor ward in which the sits, Coun Keleigh Glenton, said she had received many messages from residents welcoming the new leisure facility.
However, she went on: “But some of the residents have been in touch with queries and concerns about the impact of increased traffic and parking for residents who live on nearby streets.”
She said this was ‘crucial’ given the location of Firsway Health Centre, nearby. Residents also wanted assurances, she said, that they would have continued free use of Goodwood Field for dog walking and other wellbeing activities.
Coun Glenton also voiced concerns about the potential impact on the Sale West Youth and Community Centre.
Coun Patel responded by saying the traffic and parking issue was one that would be ‘thoroughly examined’ via the planning process.
She said the fields would remain open and accessible and to the clubs that play on them and will be ‘improved hugely for the sporting experience’.
“And Sale West [community centre] remains one of our key community hubs,” Coun Patel said. “We’re investing significantly in it as a ‘live well’ centre – one of two as part of our live well strategy.”
“The team at Sale West have worked very closely with Three Meem over the years, so we know that what’s being proposed here isn’t incompatible with an ongoing successful centre at Sale West.”
But another local councillor, Rob Duncan, attending the meeting for the opposition Conservative group, told the executive: “Sale West already suffers from dangerous congestion around Firs Primary School with blocked pavements, and gridlocked, ratrun traffic.
“A new development of this size, which let’s face it, will be similar to a small supermarket plus a car park on Goodwood Field will only worsen these problems and increase danger to residents.”
However, after the executive agreed to proceed with the plan.