Heaton Park sports complex set to go ahead

Article published: Monday, January 17th 2011

Plans to transform part of Heaton Park into a commercial sports complex received a boost last week when councillors upheld a decision to permit the development in the face of opposition from Prestwich residents.

The proposals will see land near the St Margaret’s entrance of the Grade II listed park set aside for a £3.5 million private sports centre. While supporters argue the 3.4 hectare site will provide much-needed sporting facilities with free community use, opponents say the development’s location is inappropriate and that the lease represents a ‘privatisation’ of part of the largest municipal parks in Europe.

The green light was initially given by Manchester City Council Chief Executive Sir Howard Bernstein last December but was then ‘called in’ by opposition Manchester Liberal Democrat councillors for reconsideration. They argued the decision was too controversial to be taken by an unelected senior council official and should be put to politicians instead.

These matters were raised last week at a meeting of the council’s Communities and Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee. However despite a 2,000-strong petition opposing the sports centre councillors voted 7-3 in favour of it.

As a result the development is almost certain to go ahead and will see parkland set aside for a 25-year lease to Goals Soccer plc. The “multi-activity sports zone” will contain a dozen 3G astroturf five-a-side football pitches, six tennis and netball courts, a larger football pitch, a climbing wall and a skate park as well as an attached pavilion and changing rooms.

Although Heaton Park itself is owned by Manchester City Council the area of parkland set aside for development borders Prestwich, which falls under Bury Metropolitan Council. A certain amount of political friction has developed over the issue, with Lib Dem Bury councillor Tim Pickstone accusing Manchester councillors of “highly arrogant” behaviour in giving “no validity” to the views of Bury residents who live next to the park.

Pickstone and fellow Bury Lib Dem councillor Wilf Jon Davison were both invited to speak at the Manchester council scrutiny meeting, also attended by several Prestwich residents who called the sports centre “the right idea in the wrong place”. Pickstone later explained: “Eighteen 5-a-side soccer pitches operating under floodlight at night are a noisy neighbour when immediately over the fence you have residents and a much used church.”

He added, “Our second concern is using parkland for this type of development. At present the St Margaret’s part of Heaton Park is a beautiful piece of open parkland. People walk on it, children play, children play football (for free).”

A November report from the city solicitor to the council had claimed the 3.4 hectare area of the 245 hectare park to be developed was in “one of the least historically significant areas of the park,” adding that it was chosen because “the area had traditionally been used for sporting activities,” referring to existing bowls and croquet facilities adjacent to the planned site.

Manchester councillors defended the plan through the benefits it will bring to the local community. North Manchester is relatively poorly served for formal sports grounds; the only large 5-a-side facility is ten miles away in the Trafford Centre while other nearby centres offer only a limited number of pitches.

Sweetening the deal is the promise that use of the sports centre will be offered free of charge in off-peak times to local schools, football clubs and community groups – amounting to 60 per cent of opening hours. And on top of a minimum base rent of £91,000 per year for the site, Goals Soccer plc will be required to give 7.5 per cent of its annual turnover to the council for reinvestment.

However opponents have countered that the community use periods set aside during ‘off-peak’ are during working hours and therefore inconvenient for many residents. Meanwhile pitch hire during evening peak times is expected to be between £30-40 per match.

Mike Amesbury, executive member for leisure and culture, denounced what he termed “spin” from councillors opposed to the plans. He added: “There’s a real need for such facilities and I’m proud to say we’re putting in investment with a partner for some world class facilities.”

Alongside the points raised in the meeting, it was noted that a complaint of maladministration made last December to the Local Government Ombudsman is still under investigation. However any findings of a report will be non-binding, and with the time period for a judicial review to challenge the decision already expired it seems the complex is a done deal.

Richard Goulding

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Comments

1. Why illustrate this story with pictures of the mausoleum, collonade and heaton hall? The development (supported by local schools, local – Manchester – residents and the Friends of Heaton Park) is nowhere near any of those structures. It’s in an area that’s currently used as a dog latrine by Bury residents. Beside the bowling pavillion, which they didn’t object to being built, but I guess that attracts a different type of clientele.

   NOT IN MY BACKYARD!

   Comment by eh? on January 18, 2011 at 12:24 pm

2. because i dont have a digital camera and these were the best creative commons pictures available! and if you read the article you will see that it is balanced with arguments for and against the development

   Comment by editorial collective member on January 18, 2011 at 12:28 pm

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