HEDON Town Council has established an Amenity Areas Working Group which has committed itself to visit each amenity area that the council owns over the year with a view to a detailed discussion on each. The programme of visits and discussions would also extend to other sites, not in the council’s ownership. The purpose of the review and discussions is to identify where improvements to each site may be made and where community facilities could potentially be extended.
The Working Group was established in response to questions posed at the last council Public Participation session highlighting maintenance needed at some amenity areas. One of those areas was the Greville Road green space.
Greville Road Green Space.
The green space on Greville Road has narrow public access off the street https://w3w.co/bloodshot.stapled.formless (with anti-bike bars) and gated access on a private road. The site can also be accessed from the old railway track which is used frequently by walkers and dog walkers.
In questions posed to the council a resident had said that Greville Road was a ‘fantastic space, but sadly on occasion is ruined by poor maintenance, lack of development and inconsiderate dog walkers’ (dogs off leads and dog fouling). She asked what the potential for development was, for example, a play park, picnic benches or football pitch?
The formal response at the public participation session was that access to the land was problematic for the council as it was via a private road and arrangements had only been made for regular access by the council tractor for grass cutting purposes. The land had previously been gifted to the town council by the builders when the surrounding estate was built and the land comprised of builders’ rubble with a very thin layer of topsoil. Development options at the site, therefore, were restricted as the ground was uneven and unsuitable for a play park or pitches. The town council did think that the provision of goalposts for informal ‘kickabout’ sessions was an option, but there were no facilities for formally organised football matches.
Greville Road playing field is mentioned in the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s ‘Playing Pitch Strategy’ document for 2019 – 2024. It describes the site (p10 and p89) as a disused poor quality pitch because of ‘drainage issues’ with the capacity for only one youth 9 v 9 match per season. In general, the strategy says that disused pitches should not automatically be determined as surplus to requirements but rather need protection until all possible uses for sport and recreational use have been explored. In the case of Greville Road it says ‘Explore options to increase community use and long term alternative use for other sports or recreation use’.
As a Working Group (and not a Committee) the Amenities WG does not have decision-making powers but can carry out more detailed work and assessment of sites and advise the town council, and, it would seem, the ERYC ‘Playing Pitch Strategy’ accordingly. We look forward to the town council’s review of our amenity areas and particularly of the Greville Road green space.
So now to let your dog have a run is inconsiderate? We need a space where we can let our dogs have a gallop and play in an environment considered safe for all those involved. I would not mind paying a small charge for this facility.