Donna Alos
Fight For Sport Site
A twitter campaign's started to save Longford Astroturf in Neath.
Swansea football coach Rico Rees is furious at plans to dig up the facility.
But Neath councillor Martyn Peters says anti-social behaviour and vandalism means the facility has to be demolished.
The Longford Astroturf pitch (ATP) formed part of Dŵr Y Felin Lower School which has now been decommissioned as a result of the recently completed £10million 21st Century Schools investment to locate the entire Secondary school on one campus.
The conditions of the funding for the ATP stated that its fundamental purpose was to help develop curricular and structured, extra-curricular sport. Therefore it was a managed facility which was never intended to be provided as an open access, ‘kick-about’ or public playground area.
The facility was placed outside the boundary of the school at the request of the Headteacher as they did not want to sacrifice sports facilities already at the school.
Council officers have been trying to secure the future of the ATP for structured public use by negotiating with local clubs and organisations, including the Community Council, to take over the management of the facility when Dŵr Y Felin Secondary School moved onto a single site.
Unfortunately no one expressed a desire to take on the management and financial responsibility of the ATP.
Both the Council and Police have received complaints from local residents for many years regarding antisocial behaviour, arson and vandalism in and around the pitch outside of normal school hours. We have on file written and photographic evidence of the nature and extent of the damage.
As a Council we have been working in partnership with the Police, Community Council and voluntary sector to address this behaviour. Arrests have been made in the past but unfortunately youth annoyance is still a problem and local residents have again complained to ourselves and the Police.
Therefore on health and safety grounds and to address the concerns of local residents on anti social behaviour, our intention is to restore the land to a grassed area which will be more conducive to unstructured activity and play.
In conjunction with facilities available at Cwrt Herbert Sports Centre, pupils attending the single campus will now benefit from additional first class doorstep sports facilities including a full size Astro Turf Pitch, floodlit all weather running track, double sports hall, tennis courts, two cricket, five football and two rugby pitches.
More from Local
Recently Played
-
Del Amitri
Roll To Me
1:45am
Download from iTunes
-
Lionel Richie
Dancing On The Ceiling
1:40am
Download from iTunes
-
Duke Dumont And Ame
Need U (100%)
1:38am
Download from iTunes
-
Taylor Swift And Ed Sheeran
Everything Has Changed
1:34am
Download from iTunes
-
The Script And Will I Am
Hall Of Fame
1:30am
Download from iTunes
