Protesters branded town hall planners a disgrace after they ignored thousands of objections and approved a huge sports development in Heaton Park.
Opponents, who had gathered in Manchester’s council chamber, cried ‘shame’ as the planning committee made the decision.
About 2,000 people formally objected, 6,500 joined a Save Heaton Park campaign on Facebook and six petitions, containing about 1,000 names, were received by the council.
But town hall bosses believe the scheme will provide sports facilities for north Manchester and is ‘great news’.
Thirteen floodlit football pitches, a caged football area, a climbing wall, six tennis and netball courts, and a pavilion with changing rooms will now be built on the park which is Grade II listed by English Heritage.
Goals Soccer Centres, will take up a 3.4 hectare site near the east entrance at St Margaret’s Road. There will also be 150 new parking spaces.
Objectors, including English Heritage, the Garden History Society and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis, had urged planning chiefs to reject the scheme on the grounds that it would destroy the integrity and history of the city’s biggest park, take up green belt land and bring congestion, noise, light and traffic pollution.
But the scheme was approved by nine of the 15 planning committee members who rejected pleas to defer the decision for a site visit.
Town hall bosses have hailed the decision. Mike Amesbury, culture and leisure chief, said: “It’s particularly important that the facilities will be available either free of charge or at discounted rates for 60 per cent of the time for community groups.”
Speaking afterwards, objector Paul Toner said: “It’s unbelievable that thousands of people can protest and it stands for nothing.” Bury councillor Tim Pickstone said: “It’s a real shame they ignored not only residents but convincing heritage concerns about the history and character of the park.”
Keith Rogers, from Goals, had told the committee that the facility would ‘provide a real and lasting benefit to the city’.
You can see how the decision was made by clicking the grey box below to replay our live coverage of the planning meeting.
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I Noticed that they are Old Biddies.Most likley Dog owners fouling the Park up.
There was quite a mix of age-groups, but inevitabley, if you hold a meeting like this on a weekday, it makes it harder for non-retirees to attend. Most of us only found out about the date and time of the meeting about a week before. I'm a 33 year old, who has an understanding employer who will let me take time off at late notice, not everyone's so lucky!
I found it amusing that many of the young attendees that turned up to support the development turned out to have been bussed in from Sheffield!
I reckon this is going to be a tragic loss of yet another bit of parkland, all because Manchester Council can't be bothered to maintain the park...
This commercial venture in the unspoilt park land of Heaton Park just shows this council interests are those of big business. This park belongs to the people not the councils to sell off piecemeal to commercial concerns like they did with Piccadilly Gardens. One of the councillors pointed out there are plenty of similar schemes in local schools. Also the councillor for Blackley (who is on the planning committee) stated he had spoken to some his local constituents in Blackley who were for the scheme. Bowker Vale borders the park and is on the opposite side to this commercial development so will not be affected in anyway. Unlike the residents of St. Margerates (Holyrood) who will suffer increased traffic pollution and noise. As well as the noise and light pollution from this complex. This council has shown it's total contempt for the people of Manchester and Bury.
Patrick Sudlow MCC has always run roughshod over its ratepayers/voters for years because they know that the voters keep voting them back in year after year.until we have a change of MCC to another party other than labour nothing will change.We will keep losing these green spaces while money is being offered?
Ofcourse we know that the coucillors don't take sweetners and are not totally corrupt, so that can't possibly be the reason that they approved this. Similarly, the councillors behind the demolition of higher Broughton only had the most noble intentions and would never have thought about lining their own pockets. We must only assume that they couldn't give a hoot about public opinion and assume that every one is stupid enough to vote them in again. However, they may be wealthy enough to retire and no longer have time for council business. Here's to the honest and noble politicians of Chicago-Sorry Manchester !
Just thought that they might have a problem if people power prevailed and peaceful protests just happened to disrupt building work. Ofcourse I couldn't recommend this, but I do seem to remember a chap called 'Swampy' at Manchester airport a few years ago that caused a few naughty little problems. The police have a problem if a few hundred very upset and opinionated people turn up at the same time to stage a peaceful protest because cameras from TV turn up to monitor their every move and the councillors come under wider scrutiny. Ofcourse I can't imagine Facebook being used for this type of thing. I'd ofcourse never recommend any of this and would never recommend that people consult Facebook to try and cause some disruption to this fantastic demolition of our heretage. I would never like to see the police try to fill limited cell space with several hundred protesters and would not want to see this issue on national TV. I would not reccommend breaking any laws and would hate to upset councillors retirement plans.
I bet this 'NIMBY' brigade would be quick enough to use the facility if it was on someone else's doorstep though - IF they were young enough and fit enough that is. I expect Angela Epstein's spitting out her Complan in temper!! Oh the thought of all those people enjoying themselves in THEIR park!!
To all the coucillors involved , there are some lovely properties in Hale barns, which you may or may not have viewed for wealthy people of a retirement age who wish to leave behind their busy city lives and escape.See you soon.I'm a businessman who actively employs people from Higher Broughton and Prestwich, a Jew, and I built up my business by using my sales skills,coversational skills,intelligence and downwright 'you won't beat' me skills'. There was time when I came back from froms the states with only £360 and regardless built it up from a taxi driving job. I hate freeloeaders. If you can't make it as a businessman don't kid me with your cliams to have made it as a wealthy councillor.You may make the odd hundred grand here and there, but I can make that in a few weeks without destroying heretage and my lovely childhood memories. The best people from all over will protect Heaton Park.Lets see what happens.
There were a few tears when Oasis were given the go ahead to play in Heaton Park, it seems there are plenty of people who don't like sharing the area or the park with others. Quite selfish, but to them I say - TOUGH!
Heaton Park is a wonderful park and it's size means so many people can do plenty of different activities at the same time without affecting others. People travel from all over Manchester, especially in summer, to enjoy the park.
I think this is a great idea, providing more facilities for people to use. If it means that more people can enjoy the area then I'm all for it. Better still that it provides a form of exercise.
Good choice from the council, well done all!
Some interesting comments but I bet most of the opposition is from Prestwich and Whitefield, not from Manchester itself who both own the park and in whose geographical area it is.
Marquis de Sade et la petit monge tout has commented twice I bet he has got no evidence about corruption - just the usual innuendo. If you have no information withdraw your scurrilous and libellous comments!
With the focus on obesity the building of football pitches and tennis courts will help as as far as I know there are non of those facilities available around that area. The park is big enough to accomadate and it will still be classed as green belt. Its when they want to take some of the park away to build houses on that we should protest.
And tht is why I left Manchester. What a sham, guess the councellers involved have a reason for this, perhaps explaining and posting a logical response might help - but NOT MUCH. SPINELESS.
Be aware that part of Central Park in Plymouth was recently developed for housing by the Tory Council, & the excuse given for this unpopular scheme was that the area had short term, wartime prefabs erected so they considered it as previously developed land! The opposite end of the same park (in the vicinity of Home Park, Plymouth Argyle FC) following considerable local outrage, is presently being developed for a huge indoor sporting complex known as the Life Centre.
Be also aware that the Sheepfoot Lane end of Heaton Park was previously developed for would you believe, short term wartime prefabs. Not much difference between the Tories & Labour these days either so be warned!!!
I think the council would be cheesed off if the public didn't react, could it possibly be that they know there will be a backlash and therefore the need for more planning meetings therefore more expenses / more jollies etc. And of course by accepting it in the first place means they can get planning application fees in sooner rather than later.
MancladUK
if it is such a good idea then why dont MCC build it and maintain it themselves therefore keeping the profits for ratepayers.
Handwill,Stockport What are your thoughts on the £100m college planned for Stockport?