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PARK PLANS ABANDONED
Victory for campaigners as bid to build football pitches is rejected
CAMPAIGNERS claimed victory last night (Thursday) in the battle for Regent’s Park.
Around 100 residents packed City Hall to hear planning chiefs hammer the final nail in the coffin of controversial proposals to build a five-a-side football complex near London Zoo.
The Royal Parks Agency and Goals Soccer Centres wanted to replace four acres of popular wooded meadow with a car park, licensed bar and nine five-a-side pitches.
But the plan was spiked after officials advised it would “damage the environment to an unacceptable degree”.
Malcolm Kafetz, the chairman of the 1,200-strong Friends of Regent’s Park, who has led the fight against the plan for more than three years, said: “I think the enthusiasm of all our members and supporters and the fact that we were right all along has won through on the day.”
He added: “It was a David and Goliath battle. We were up against the Royal Parks with huge financial resources but we still won.”
Goals Soccer Centres, owned by the former director of Leicester City Football Club, Sir Rodney Walker, has recorded soaring profits from similar schemes across the country.
But the attempts to colonise a popular meadow in Regent’s Park had drawn more objections than any other in living memory.
Regent’s Park ward councillor Daniel
Astaire, who has also backed the campaign, said: “The application was to bulldoze local opinion and the serene green scape.
“It has captured the hearts and minds of the residents.
“It is paving paradise to put up a parking lot.”
Labour’s Church Street ward Councillor Barbara Grahame sent jitters running through the public gallery when she cast a supporting vote for the scheme. Her support was followed up by a statement from Goals calling for the decision to be deferred and claiming planning officials had made a “late u-turn” in their advice to reject the scheme.
But Councillor Robert Davis, lead member for planning, settled the nerves when he concluded: “We do need more facilities for young people and for older sportsman.
“This is not the right site. The loss on ecology, parking provision and access are the main issues that concern me. On that basis the committee reject the application.”
He added: “We take the view that this should not be deferred and we hereby reject it.”
Polite applause rang out from gallery and the campaigners made their way home to a special celebratory party in Marylebone.
A jubilant Mr Kafetz added: “I am looking forward to spending a lot more time with my family.” |
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