A HUGE redevelopment is being planned for Heaton Park.
Thirteen floodlit football pitches, a climbing wall, a landscaped skate park, tennis courts and netball facilities are on the drawing board.
There would be a new pavilion and changing rooms at the heart of the development near the park's east entrance at St Margaret's Road.
Goals Soccer Centres, chaired by the former chairman of Manchester's Commonwealth Games Sir Rodney Walker, also plans to build 41 additional parking spaces to cope with demand.
Damaged
The plans come as steps to restore Heaton Hall, one of Manchester's finest buildings, move a step closer. Manchester council bosses have lodged an application for a £9.4m Heritage Lottery Fund grant to revamp the fire-damaged, Grade I listed hall.
A presentation of the proposals has gone on display at a series of open meetings and public events, but many residents have expressed concern that any development would lead to traffic and noise pollution at the park - regarded as the `lungs of Manchester'.
The proposals have yet to be agreed by council planners but campaigners point to the failed bid to relocate the King David School there in 2007.
Sir Rodney said the area hoping to be developed had been identified within a park masterplan as a `sport action zone'. He said: "The facilities will include synthetic grass courts developed to advanced FA accreditation standard, six tennis courts, netball facilities, a climbing wall and skate park.
"The facilities will be supervised, with over 60 per cent of available time made available to local community groups."
The company said both Bury and Manchester councils were satisfied with levels of proposed traffic. Managing director Keith Rogers added: "The proposals for the sports zone in Heaton Park are for community facilities, which would provide high-quality sports amenities to anyone that wishes to use them.
"All of our centres are free for local schools and community groups to use during the day."
Tranquility
But one resident said the entire park was listed and should be preserved as an area of tranquillity.
She said: "It seems there is going to be no consideration to the dog owners, such as myself, or to the older folk who do not want to be surrounded by skateboarding youths or loudmouth footballers. The whole park is a listed area and this sort of intrusion should not be allowed."
Another said: "This is to be a significant development, and is set to destroy a large area of natural beauty. It seems ridiculous that the council can get away with selling off our dwindling areas of green space, never to be regained, just for a quick cash injection."
Council spokesman Mike Amesbury said: "We are committed to creating a sport zone in Heaton Park as part of its ongoing development and have been impressed with Goals Soccer Centres' proposals.
"We will engage with the public to gather the opinion of local residents and park visitors before any further steps are taken."
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Angie33 , Manchester (02/04/2009 at 10:19)
Mark, South Manchester (02/04/2009 at 10:46)
(Future generations are going to be left with nothing in this city, because Leese & Bernstein "have sold/are still selling" Manchester's heritage for their own short term political gain!!)
One thing we've all learnt about New Labour (whether it be Manchester or central government in London) is that they're very good at sanctimoniously preaching & laying down the law "to others" about "green issues & the environment" - as long as their OWN PET PROJECTS & SCHEMES aren't affected.
The stinking kipper, pinned under the table (02/04/2009 at 11:02)
Ronky, Bowker Vale (02/04/2009 at 13:00)
She said: "It seems there is going to be no consideration to the dog owners, such as myself, or to the older folk who do not want to be surrounded by skateboarding youths or loudmouth footballers. The whole park is a listed area and this sort of intrusion should not be allowed."
I'm assuming that all the football pitches will be together and next to the car park therefore older folks won't be surrounded by loudmouthed footballers (unless they run on the pitch). Ditto for the skateboarding.
As for the dog owners, would these be the nice considerate dog owners who let their dogs run around all over the place and poo wherever they want? Did they not bring in rules about dogs off leads (serious question not rhetorical)?
And as for the tennis courts, they could replace the ones that were knocked down a few years back and not rebuilt!
Provided the areas are properly supervised this would be a great project in a time of ever increasing obesity!
Prestwich Red, Prestwich (02/04/2009 at 13:09)
Please leave our green spaces alone.
The stinking kipper, pinned under the table (02/04/2009 at 13:54)
As regards the person who said thay thought it was a good idea in these times of obesity - never heard of self motivation? Couldn't you organise something yourself to get rid of the lard?
Pippa, Manchester (02/04/2009 at 14:41)
Ronky, Bowker Vale (02/04/2009 at 14:41)
Nowadays there doesn't seem to be much of that going for reasons including parental concerns over perverts or hoodies, lunatic dogs off leads and canine poo all over the place. Opening these pitches in holidays to children would seem a great way to put parents' minds at ease about their children playing out and getting kids exercising.
As for it putting you off going to the park in future - why? The park is massive and it's only a small part that would be affected. You could wander around the lake, horse and donkey fields, the hall, the papal monument, the stables and the farm without being aware of the pitches if they're build near the St Margaret's entrance.
The stinking kipper, pinned under the table (02/04/2009 at 16:15)
Terry Mahon, Ex Mancunian (02/04/2009 at 21:26)
allotment lad 2, Sunny Manc (03/04/2009 at 11:42)
Prestwich Red, Prestwich (04/04/2009 at 18:55)
Manchester Bee, Greater Manchester (23/09/2009 at 16:52)
As for people complaining about traffic, well I guess these people are the same who complain every time a music event is held in the park. For God's sake, that side of the park is on THE main thoroughfare between Bury town centre and Manchester city centre. Traffic is no stranger to that road! And, are you forgetting that a perfectly good Metrolink station exists within the vicinity?
To me, this is a brilliant plan for the local people and much needed recreation for youths!