Future of playing fields on edge of Shrewsbury to be discussed at public meeting

Councillor Kevin Pardy has organised the meeting on the back of the news that Shropshire Council is considering Shrewsbury Sports Village as a potential site for a new secondary school.

The authority is currently looking for land to re-site Shrewsbury Academy.

Councillor Pardy is inviting residents and people who use the playing fields at the sports village to have their say.

He will be joined by David Farmer, who was the chairman of Shrewsbury Sports Advisory Committee when the sports village was built and former town mayor.

Mr Farmer, who is also currently the president of Shrewsbury Indoor Bowls Club which meets at the centre, said he will defend the playing fields until the bitter end.

"They have a fight on their hands if they think they can take that land away and start building on it," he said.

"The sports village was built with a £1 million contribution from the Football Foundation and £972,000 from Active England. That money was given to the borough council with the intent that it would be used for sports - nothing else.

"I have seen hundreds of play areas and sports grounds closed over the years in favour of building but I will not allow it to happen here."

Not only will it take away valuable green space for the community, but building a school at the sports village would cause traffic problems, according to Mr Farmer.

"The amount of extra traffic it would bring to Sundorne Road is worrying," he added.

"It's bad enough as it is now. When we leave the indoor bowling club at 4pm the traffic is already backed up along the road to the island. I can't imagine what it would be like with school traffic on top of it."

The meeting will be held at The Lantern in Meadow Farm Drive at 7.30pm on September 5.

The leader of Shropshire Council, Peter Nutting, has been invited to explain why the land has been put forward as a potential site.