A NEW boundary security fence has been proposed for part of the school field adjacent to Hedon Primary School.
A planning application has been submitted to the East Riding Council to seek permission to remove the existing fence on Ivy Lane and replace it with a 1.8m high (5ft 10″) bow top gated boundary fence which would encompass just under a third of the existing playing field area. It would also serve to clearly define the school’s playing field area.
The aim is to improve security at the school field when in use during the day by the school, and prevent dog-walkers and other members of the public from traversing the area and interrupting activities. The fence will also help the school comply with safeguarding guidelines required by OFSTED.
However, nearby resident Steve Gallant has objected to the proposal and the idea of lining Ivy Lane with a high steel fence:
“The idea of a great big security fence in one of the few leafy recreational parts of the town sounds like ridiculous overkill. It will devalue the beauty of the lane!”
He also questions the need for the fence and claims: “The school hardly uses the field, its much more used by local youngsters practising football, rugby, running and so on. So locking off this space is terrible idea.”
The design statement for the planning application says that the development will not detract from the character, appearance or amenity of the surrounding area, and there will be no adverse effect on space of a recreational, nature conservation or amenity value. However the statement does indicate as a key issue that there will be limited additional activity on the site.
The planning application, which is available to view on the East Riding Council’s Planning website (enter website and search for 14/01853/REG3), will be discussed by Hedon Town Council Planning Committee on Thursday 10th July 2014, 7:15pm at the Town Hall.
Well that was a load of rubbish wasn’t it and certainly nothing like what they actually did. Ugly prison fencing blocking of the green where children have played and exercised for generations!
Well, the new fence is up and is causing much debate as the whole site is now inaccesible. I can see the reasoning behind the dog muck/litter etc issues but as I said before, maybe there should have simply been stronger enforcement of the rules. A shame that one of our few recreational spaces is now totally off limits to anyone who wants to have a kickabout or just lay in the sun 😔.
Totally agree with all the previous posters. This is one of the few picturesque green areas left in Hedon and the proposed fence will look awful. I can see there is a problem with misuse of the field – I walk Jack past there in a morning and there is always litter strewn across the field and occasionally dogs on there. Perhaps the ‘rules’ should be enforced more rigorously eg PCSOs shifting people off the area. I hope this plan is chucked out and the money is spent on a worthier cause.
why would they want to do this? makes little sense to me, I could understand it if they wanted to build a block of 1 bedroom council flats on there( just kidding steve i know you live opposite ) , is the problem dog walkers and more to the point dog poo. this is very dangerous if children fall in it . But even so sounds a bit over the top Stalag 19 down ivy lane is surely a step too far.
There can be a litter and dog mess issue, but a bin and dogmess bin at the Ivy Lane end of the footpath across the field would help ! The claim that there are drug paraphernalia on the field is not born out by the local police reports to Ivy Lane Neighbourhood Watch which the Mayor and I are both members of. I hope common sense will prevail , keep our field open and not waste money creating an eyesore. Hope to see a good turnout at the Council tonight to oppose this
Neil Shillito’s reference to Stalag 19 brought a smile to my old face, which made me think back to the WW2 years when the Ivy Lane (us kids nicknamed it ‘Calais’ ), area used to house the Nissan huts to house the (friendly ) Italian prisoners of war. We even use to get the odd bar of chocolate from them, they were generous and also understanding to us youngsters…..
Ive heard many stories of the prisoners, Italians and some Russians too i think Malc
It appears to me – even though I don’t live in Hedon – that the East Riding CC , if it is them that is planning to erect an expensive fence, and for little apparent reason?, could surely use the costings elsewhere more profitably to benefit other issues.”
Does not this ‘body’ use the two unwritten words in ‘Cricket Law 43’ “COMMON SENSE, one may wonder here………………………………….?
The field has been used for years by local youngsters and teams to train and just generally play on during the Summer. As i did myself some 20 years ago. What exactly is the point of this fence apart from a complete eyesore. Have they had problems with people encroaching?? I dont think they have.. and as far as i know they never have.. sounds more of a kop out so they dont have to cut the grass to the full field. Surely they are severely limiting their own area aswell. When I went to school there, we used a lot more of the field than outlined in the plan.. This is a ridiculous idea. Even the way it cuts it in half, it limits how you can play on it due to the hedges and ditches. Everyone who plays on there plays across the pitch so that you dont lose balls etc in the ditches or peoples gardens..
Hedon Town Council’s Planning Committee will be discussing this on Thursday 10th July. Do make your views known to your Councillors. – I’ve asked East Riding for the cost and rationale. but not had the courtesy of any answers yet.
And apart from the loss of amenity to the town, East Riding have not even done an environmental assessment. Thats a bit of an oversight as we have a community of endangered Great Crested Newts in the Ivy Lane area.some sighted within yards of the proposed barrier.
Putting a 6ft steel ring around part of field .. with nothing inside it, is a ludicrous waste of money. Its the sort of bureaucratic nonsense we can do without .
I know John Dennis will be chairing the Planning meeting, but what do our 2 other East Riding councillors think ?
What a ridiculous waste of time, effort and money this would be. The proposal is totally unnecessary and totally out of keeping with the area. The field is used by plenty of childrens teams for training and by other youngsters just having a kick about. The school itself uses more than the area outlined on sports day! The council must have more money than sense if this is approved.
For sure I shall be voting against this application for the same reasons as Steve has given, and as for stopping youngsters knocking a ball around speaks volumes – no wonder we can’t win anything at the World Cup.
Thanks for your support David. I’ve spoken to Neil Black too. I hope sense will prevail and this scheme will be thrown out.