Support plea in fight to keep Copthorne Barracks field for sport
Groups which used sports fields at Shropshire's Copthorne Barracks are being asked to come forward as a campaigner seeks to stop them being lost to housing.
David Kilby, of Shropshire Playing Fields Association, is calling for groups which have used the sports fields at the site in Shrewsbury in the past 10 years to contact him.
It comes after the Ministry of Defence unveiled plans for the site earlier this month which would create 229 houses and apartments.
Mr Kilby said that the potential loss of the site's playing fields makes no sense, and would put further pressure on other playing sites.
He said: "Simply if you are bringing 229 families to a new development, children need somewhere to play.
"And they need open spaces for a whole range of activities like sports or recreational dog walking, people going running.
"You are talking about all sorts of activities which would be normal in a community of that size.
"To rely on existing open spaces rather than the space already on the site seems like poor planning.
"We have got an overweight nation and people need activities on their door step. If we have green spaces we should build housing around it rather than on it."
Mr Kilby said that Shrewsbury is the focus of a number of housing developments and that more must be done to safeguard playing fields and open space.
He said: "There are several developments where open spaces are under threat."
Mr Kilby had contacted Sport England to ask about the use of the playing fields on the site, and was told that there had been no public use for a number of years.
But he said he believes that community teams had used the site and asked any who have to get in touch.
He said: "I want to ask anyone if they have played on the sports pitches in the last 10 years to get in contact.
"Obviously once we have established there has been usage it gives us evidence to negotiate a better deal and maybe protect the current sports pitch."
Redeveloping the barracks site has proved controversial with Shrewsbury Town Council, whose members voted unanimously to object to demolishing buildings there last week and called for the grounds to be listed and protected from future development.
Teams or individuals who have used the pitches can contact Mr Kilby on 01743 850943 and give their input.
