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Residents have concerns about the skate park
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'Undemocratic' skate park decision complaint

By Nick Edmondson
November 20, 2012

COUNCILLORS in Rushmoor have been accused of being undemocratic after approving the building of a new skate park in Aldershot.

The criticism follows a meeting of Rushmoor Borough Council’s development control committee, which saw loud protests made by residents against the development.

During the meeting on November 7, councillors granted planning permission to the council’s own application to build a new skate facility on Manor Park.

However residents of Eggars Court came out in force against the plans, criticising the council for ignoring their concerns and making a decision seven days before the consultation on the plans was due to close.

Chris Myles, who was nominated as a spokesman for the residents in the area, attempted to raise a point of order at the start of the meeting, claiming the council was ignoring the views of the public.

He said: “I don’t see how this committee could consider making a decision when the consultation has not even completed. It’s just undemocratic.”

Council representatives explained that the committee’s decision at the meeting was not final, with the responsibility delegated to chairman Cllr Alan Jackman to decide whether points are raised following the meeting that raise sufficient new concerns to prompt another discussion.

Mr Myles said the decision allowed the council to rush through its own application while ignoring the concerns of residents, regardless how many of them complain.

The application is the third made by the council to replace the skate park that was demolished at the south side of the park and saw repeated clashes between youngsters and the residents of Campbell Fields.

Mr Myles said that the skate park would ruin the quality of life for Eggars Close residents, who will suffer increased noise and antisocial behaviour.

He told the meeting: “We are not actually saying that we don’t think that there should be a skate park. This is the wrong site.”

John Thorne, the council’s head of development, said: “A lot of the issues that have been raised are management issues and concerns that the council can look at quite separately from this application.”

Councillor Sue Dibble said: “I do feel that this is the right place for a skate park.

“This is a facility that is used by a lot of young people. It is a shame that it can’t be situated elsewhere.”

Cllr Marsh said: “This just goes to show that we can’t win. We are criticised for lacking this facility for young people and then when we build it we have problems.

“I get annoyed when people say they are being ignored. They are not being ignored, the committee just might not agree with them.”

Councillors agreed that permission would only be granted if CCTV was up and running on the site before it was opened and if flood lighting was turned off by 9pm.

Mr Myles has made a formal complaint to the council’s chief executive, Andrew Lloyd. Speaking after the meeting he said the decision was "a disgrace" and argued that the skate park could be placed on its former site.

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Most recent user comments 12 of 12

@BlisteringBarnacles - Born in Farnham,lived in Aldershot for 43 years.

Shots1, Farnham
26/11/2012 at 11:46

I agree a park warden should not be expected to intervien with a group behaving baddly but they can inform the police log the call to them, obtain photographic evidence and act as a witness. After dark security would have to rely on HD CCTV to provide quality evidence and the operators to inform the police and log the call. Failour by the CCTV contractor to act would be proof that they are incapable of operating the contractor. Any breakdown in this system should end up on the desk of the Police Commissioner with the question WHY????? Because that why some of us bothered to vote for him and it is his job to sort it

UKR
26/11/2012 at 10:56

Dawi, you are quite correct... But tell me honestly, do you think even an overstaffed and over budgeted police force could react that quickly to a CCTV camera? CCTV is only a deterrent and/or a form of evidence in SOME cases, not an early warning system.

Hard as it is to believe, I had considered the Police 'irregular' visits idea. I didn't suggest this given my lack of confidence in the local constabulary, as I could foresee 'Irregular' visits, turning into 'non-existent' visits. If they could stick to their guns and manage that, then fair enough, it is indeed a better plan... Personal experience denotes my opinion I'm afraid.

Park wardens is a bad idea imho, I wouldn't want to be in a position of no (real) authority and have to try to convince kids/young adults to play by the rules - can you honestly see anyone else wanting that task? PCSO's have a hard enough time. If memory serves there are 'Wardens' that do certain duties at the Parks and Gardens in Aldershot anyway, but this wouldn't and shouldn't include dealing with disruptions of the peace.

Kirky86
25/11/2012 at 22:43

Kirky86 "I could be dead and buried by the time that CCTV was reacted to and Police dispatched."

Maybe you shoult raise the issue with our new "Police and Crime commissioner".

"Maybe as well as CCTV, someone could organize the Police to make it a regular stop on their patrols - presuming they still undertake such tasks."

I would have said frequent but irregular visits, after all there would be no point in them turning up on the hour every hour as people would get used to the pattern.

May be the better solution would be to bring back the old idea of a "Park Warden", although in these financially strapped times I doubt that would be something that the council would consider.

Dawi, Aldershot
24/11/2012 at 10:57

@PJA, I know where you're coming from buddy, it's been dragging and dragging. However Moving is maybe a little much. You know what people are like, They'll either continue to complain or just learn to live with it. Either way, the park will be there, so we can stop worrying I guess, either way it's a win!

@Shots1, language/behavior at skateparks is indeed an issue, be it during the time kids are using it legitimately or the times when it's not. Maybe as well as CCTV, someone could organize the Police to make it a regular stop on their patrols - presuming they still undertake such tasks. I'm sure with the constant threat of them about to walk through the area, it might keep things a little more under control? CCTV is great, but slow response times make it totally redundant. I could be dead and buried by the time that CCTV was reacted to and Police dispatched.

Kirky86
23/11/2012 at 21:34

@Shots1: Why does your username say you're from Farnham?

BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough
23/11/2012 at 16:13

@PJA - Use something a bit more original than "move".That comment is getting very very tedious.I have lived in Aldershot all my life and decided moving to just off Manor Park would be delightful for me and my family, two children, 2 and 6. My 6 year old loved going over to the park and playing even on his scooter on the Skate Park. However I certainly dont expect to have him listen to some of the language that comes out of kids as young as 5 or 6 so I take him else where like Alice Holt etc.So don't tell me where to bring up my kids.

Shots1, Farnham
23/11/2012 at 16:10

What do residents want? the park removed completely and put much needed housing on it? Then residents would have more problems like speeding cars around the streets, lots of noise than they have now and brighter lights in the streets and homes!

I am fed up with people complaining about the park and what goes on inside it, as they all knew where they were moving to when the rented or purchased their home, they knew that their was a park in the area where families and kids have fun, yet still moved their.

Now we find that people are fedup with bright lights and noise from the park.

If you don't like the noise then move, people of Aldershot who are born here and lived here and had ancestors that built this town know that Aldershot has changed considerable over the years, and may I say not for the best of the town and area.

At the rate of complaints going on about Manor park I can see it being built on completely as many of the homes around it are allready built on the park, and encroaching on it more and more every year, yet people of the area allready know that aldershot has not got many areas that are free for our kids to play!

What do residents really want?.

PJA
22/11/2012 at 13:18

Ok, I find that interesting. In that case I expect a pretty ferocious come back from the residants at Campbell Fields as moving it from its old position to a compromise of mid way down the park was part of a previous painful process that was gone through to get it moved at the very start. This whole process has been a complete nightmare from start to finish. Just build the bl00dy park in its new positin and see how we get on.It's so tiring......

Shots1, Farnham
20/11/2012 at 17:54

Hello Shots1, Thanks for your feedback.

Mr Myles comment that the old site would be the best site for the park was in fact made in discussion after the meeting.

Many thanks for pointing that out.

Nickedmo
20/11/2012 at 14:14

Funnily enough this has been reported incorrectly. As I was at the said meeting in he Gallery, Chris Myles DID NOT say to put it on the OLD site but to site it elsewhere in the Park preferably near the Scout hut side. Please report correctly. This will prevent annoyed responses from being added.