Shirehall tennis courts car park plan approved
Disused tennis courts will be made into a temporary car park to alleviate parking problems at Shropshire Council's Shirehall headquarters.
The plan to create 52 extra spaces at the site in Shrewsbury was given the go-ahead at a meeting yesterday, despite calls for it to be rejected.
Councillor Hannah Fraser, who represents Abbey ward, said Up and Comers Football Club had expressed an interest in turning the two courts in a 3G multi-sports pitch.
"The club is looking for a new home because they currently have 25 teams and there is a problem with pitch availability," she said.
"They have come up with 50 per cent of the funds they would need and believe they could have it up and running by spring. Therefore, I am asking Shropshire Council to withdraw the application."
She said staff should be encouraged to use public transport to get to Shirehall or walk.
'Loss of community space'
Councillor Fraser added: "This is not the solution to the problem and it sets a very serious precedent. It sends a message that land that is used by the community can be turned into a car park."
The proposals were also attacked by the Shropshire Playing Fields Association who said it would be a loss of community space.
There are currently 328 staff parking spaces, 177 visitor, member and contractor bays, and an additional 182 car parking spaces in the overflow car park off London Road. But council bosses say it does not meet the current demand.
Councillor Dean Carroll said: "I have been coming to Shropshire Council for 10 years now and can't recall anyone every playing sports on those courts. I don't even think you could play on them because they have had so little, if any, maintenance.
"In an ideal world everyone would come into work by bus but this is the real world and this is a solution. It will give us time to come up with a more strategic response to the problem."
The authority is proposing to use the courts, which have not been used for the last five years, for up to two years.
It says in recent years Shrewsbury has lost access to a number of community facilities including four tennis courts and a grass pitch at Radbrook College, a football and cricket pitch at Copthorne Barracks, Shrewsbury Football Club’s community pitch and a grass sports pitch at Meole Brace school.
