Moves are under way to protect playing fields across Shropshire amid fears that up to 20 primary schools might be closed to help manage falling pupil numbers.
The Shropshire Playing Fields Association is looking at how trust deeds could be drawn up and used to to safeguard school play areas for future generations. The documents are called Deeds of Dedication.
They would prevent sites being sold off to developers, as the land would be held in trust by a parish council and could only be used as a public playing field or recreation ground.
Association chairman, Councillor David Farmer, said today: “Playing fields are disappearing at an alarming rate.”
Over the past year, there were applications to develop about 1,600 sites nationally, and nearly 900 were granted permission.
Shropshire County Council is currently consulting on a draft policy for managing the problem of falling pupil numbers.
If adopted it could put up to 20 primaries at risk of closure.
It is estimated that in five years’ time, 3,400 fewer primary places will be needed compared to 2001.
There are currently 3,250 spare places across the county.
This figure is set to rise to 5,450 by 2012.
Councillor Farmer said: “We are deeply concerned that if a school closes, a play area will also be lost.
“Children need places where they can play and work off their energy.”
He added that safeguarding playing fields would also help efforts to tackle rising childhood obesity rates.
Councillor Farmer said the association would be carrying out more work on Deeds of Dedication before hopefully having a meeting with the county council.
The current policy consultation is ending on November 9.
The council cabinet will consider its responses at a meeting on November 28.
By Dave Morris
2 Comments
These deeds are not worth anything. The recreation ground at Sundorne has been developed on by the council despite the covenant to be used for recreation only. Some clever loop hole is always there for the determined.
These deeds which have been developed by the NPFA, Fields in Trust, and are not covenants but a deed either creating a charity and/or contract with our organisation to protect the field in perpetuity.
Covenants are not methods of protection, which as the foremost recreational land protector in the country, we would recommend, whereas the deed doesn’t rely on the whims of person holding the covenant.