Residents call for support to save popular Exeter park
Part of an open playing area in a much-loved park, enjoyed by many families in Exeter, is at serious threat of being reduced to tarmac and converted into a turning point for cars to access a new housing development.
Bull Meadow Park, located behind the Hotel du Vin in the city centre, is a cherished little park blessed with a magnificent array of ancient trees, a separate play area for very young children and a wide-open space for a variety of park users and the children to play sport.
Despite its close proximity to busy Magdalen Street, the park has a unique character; it’s a place where life slows down.
The relatively low levels of traffic on Temple Road, adjacent to the park (where vehicles typically need to drive slowly and manoeuvre carefully) contributes to its pleasant and safe feel. Whilst the open space in the park gives children who live in the inner city a place to play freely.
Yet, a part of this central green open space is now under threat of development.
Exeter Homes Trust has submitted plans to build a four-storey block of flats on the edge of Bull Meadow Park. The plans include a turning point for vehicles at the end of Temple Road.
This road extension will eat into the park’s open playing field, currently used by many local families and children for sporting activities such as cricket, football, rugby and frisbee. In the summer this space is enjoyed by many families who congregate to enjoy their lunch and have picnics.
Exeter City Council posted a public notice on the back pages of the Express and Echo with the announcement ‘Disposal of Land’. The notice stated ‘Exeter City Council is considering the freehold disposal of 130 square metres of land at Bull Meadow Recreation Ground at the end of
Temple Road to Exeter Homes Trust to extend the highway and create a turning head which will provide access for re-development of the Trust’s property’.
The notice has provoked a strong reaction among local residents who are calling on the City Council and the Exeter Homes Trust to consider alternative options.
Nigel FitzHugh, Chairman of the St Leonard’s Neighbourhood Association, said: “I am astounded that the city council is prepared to sell off a piece of publicly-owned green space to pander to the requirements of an architect’s design solution. Other solutions should be demanded."
Natalie Vizard, Councillor for St Leonard’s and Newtown said: “I have been in discussions with several local residents and agree that the proposed development should not be at the expense of losing any part of a precious green space from Bull Meadow Park.
Not only is this one of the small areas of open play in the park available for sports such as football, cricket and other ball games, it is also simply a great place for children to run about freely on the grass”.
She continued: “I also share local residents’ concerns that the routing of vehicles along Temple Road as an access to the proposed development is highly likely to increase localised pollution and road traffic beside a children’s play area. I will be continuing to represent concerned residents’ views when a report is made to Committee."
The council has given Exeter residents a limited time to send in comments and objections. With the announcement being so small and inconsequential many people have only just been alerted to the disposal of land and time is now running out!
Local parents are particularly dismayed by their children losing their play space and are deeply concerned as a road turning point will invite more traffic to the area and encourage drivers to speed up, thereby compromising the safety of their children.
Local parent, Hamish Duncan, said: “After local residents worked so hard to bring the play area up to new standards, which has increased park use, it comes as a huge disappointment that we now stand to lose some of the minimal public green space in the area.
Whilst we need to take into account the accessibility of home for vulnerable residents, we also need to be mindful of the impact this plan will have on our children and the wider community in terms of pollution, safety, traffic, and erosion of our green spaces.
He continued: “This comes on top of Exeter City Council dragging its feet over the fenced off area where there is a damaged drainage system, and blaming South West Water for delays, while SWW blame Exeter City Council for the same issue. It seems green spaces, and all the benefits they bring, are not a priority for our local politicians”.
A more popular course of action amongst many local residents is for Exeter Homes Trust to explore the alternative option to access the alms house development from Fairpark Road with a series of wide and level footbridges, enabling easier access for services and its elderly residents.
Residents are calling on support from the wider Exeter community to help protect this and other local city parks from being developed upon in future.
There is now less than a week to go to submit comments and objections to the council. Please send any comments either by email to estates@exeter.gov.uk or to the City Surveyor, ECC, Paris Street, EX1 1JJ to arrive by Friday 19th October 2018 at the latest.
You will find example letters and ideas on writing and submitting your letter on the St Leonard’s Neighbourhood Association’s website www.slna.org.uk; on the St Leonard’s Neighbourhood Association’s Facebook page and on the noticeboards in Bull Meadow Park and in Magdalen Road.
